


It's Always A Game...

by MiharuMiu



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: BAMF Skull (Reborn), BAMF Xanxus (Reborn), Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-18 02:33:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 73,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13672449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiharuMiu/pseuds/MiharuMiu
Summary: Skull DeMort. Cloud Arcobaleno. The Immortal Stuntman. Skull From Hell. The Man That Even Death Hates. Lackey. Weakling. Civilian. The Weakest Of Seven.What good are names or titles when it's all a game of pretend?Now has a Discord for assistance! And is currently looking for a Beta!





	1. Skull Plays Games

Sometimes when Skull allowed himself a moment to relax and stop playing pretend he would wonder...just how stupid all of the so-called brilliant people were. He would usually be cuddling Oodako sealed away within his rooms on his airship, or maybe he would be somewhere crowded and loud on the other side of the world, and far away from anyone who might know him. Running away perhaps, hiding definitely....

Then again wasn't it natural to hide from abuse and mistreatment? To run from those who thought you were worthless and that you should be able to trust but just...can't...

Skull had dealt with enough abuse before he met the so-called, 'I Prescelti Sette', to know that they would never be a group in which he would or could trust. He wasn't about to let others who could give such little concern about him the chance to really hurt him. Sure he went along with the punches and weakly protested although rarely, but he didn't see a point in trying too hard...

The harder you tried to escape your tormentors the harder they clung to you. If you just accepted it and rolled along, well then you simply became a habit. One that was not actively sought after, one that was only noticed when in view, one that wasn't chased. And the physical pain was fleeting and limited, simple to understand and live through. So what did he care if they kicked him around and belittled him? They didn't matter to him.

No, it was betrayal and broken trust that were truly things to fear. The things that crawled through your brain and scratched until there was nothing but deep gouges and suffocating darkness trying to consume you and drag you into the void. The things that you would do anything to run from, to hide from, even going so far as to risk your life to feel that single moment of _escapefreeflycalmcarelesspeacesafe._ When he would wake up and realize he was still alive and the feelings would surround him again, but for that single adrenalin filled moment he had not been afraid, he hadn't been running anymore.

So his companions could do whatever they wanted... They could punch him, they could throw him around, they could shoot him, or send him on a mission to suffer, they could even use him as a shield and discard him as soon as they didn't need him anymore. They could make him run their errands and boss him around or ignore his existence altogether. It didn't matter because they had never mattered to him, to begin with... And if they had never mattered he couldn't be hurt by them.

Yes, he might run physically from them, but he had never actually feared them. And mentally they amounted to nothing, nothing about them could hurt him, not really. What was more pain, when it was simply a fleeting feeling that would fade all too easily?

He could never truly be scared of his fellow Arcobaleno, no matter how powerful or skilled they might be. The pain was something simple and human, he never understood the need to run from it truthfully. Drama and annoyance were things to run from when you didn't or couldn't be bothered with anything or anyone. Wasn't it obvious he ran not out of fear, but because he wanted nothing to do with their drama? Nothing to do with them? And that was why he would wonder at how they could be so pathetically stupid.

No, he didn't have a Famiglia, and no he wasn't involved with the Mafia, and no he hadn't known what the purple flames were before that _monsterliarcheater_ had come to him and led him to the others. That didn't mean he was stupid. That didn't mean he was weak, or pathetic, or someone's lackey. No...it just meant that he wasn't the same as them, but that didn't mean he was somehow inferior. He was still as human as they were for all their worthiness and supposed superiority.

It just meant that to him all of this was a game and he was the master of pretend...

Hadn't they done any intel on him? Hadn't they looked him up at all? No, they had taken the fact that he was a civilian at face value and seen that he was a stuntman and nothing more. Did they even understand what being a stuntman was? The fools probably thought that meant he did motorcycle tricks and that was it. From what he knew of them, they had probably seen that flyer and that had been the end of it. That was all he was good for and all he knew, there was nothing else to him. If that was the case he would be known as Skull the Immortal Daredevil, not Skull the Immortal Stuntman.

No Skull was a Stuntman, THE Stuntman.

That meant that while he wasn't an expert like Fon he knew martial arts to a degree enough to take care of himself. That meant that he knew basic swordsmanship, and knew the handle from the blade thank you very much. It meant that he had been trained at the gun range and while he fired blanks more then actual bullets he could still hit the target 8/10. It meant that he knew parkour and could easily dash through cities and towns without ever touching the ground, be it houses, building, or even skyscrapers. It meant he knew how to take a hit, how to fall, how to land and take the least amount of damage. It meant he knew how to crawl how to climb above and over things that were impossible, that he knew how to ignore the sting of barbed wire and bricks scrapping off his skin.

It meant Skull knew how to be someone else, anyone else, whoever he wanted to be. He knew how to change his appearance and become a completely new person, he knew how to hide himself so well that he could only be found if he wanted to be. It meant that Skull not only knew how to play pretend, he had perfected it.

And that's what everything was to him now. The Mafia, the Flames, Checkerface, Arcobaleno, even the Rainbow Curse...it was all one big game. With every hit, with every dismissal, with every insult, every time he was abandoned or mocked or lost....he was winning.

And the so call Strongest in the World were too stupid to even know it was a game they were playing.


	2. Prologue: A Game To Play?

Skull wasn't sure who the man that sat across from him was. He had dropped down in a chair across from where Skull had been sitting. He sat as if he was King, legs crossed with his palms resting on his knees and a grinning smirk on the mouth of a mostly concealed face.

Skull had been calming himself with a water bottle and some random series of songs he hadn't cared to pay attention to. Music was music, as long as he could lose himself in the sound he didn't care the genre or type. He had gained quite a few odd glances at the Orchestra that would beat from his phone to the edgy anime theme songs that sounded upbeat and childish.

There was still the roar of the crowd behind him, from where he had just completed a complicated set of stunts. The roar of the crowd around him, the adoration of his fans... These were things he lived for, moments his life was validated...meant something. He could bring joy and excitement to others all while embracing the moment of peace that possibly dying brought to him.

It was a distant thing...his love for his job, for his fans. It was something that was held away and looked at like a crystalline figure. As long as he didn't get attached to it, as long as he didn't hold it close to him or too tightly it wouldn't hurt him when it shattered to pieces. Skull would admit he enjoyed making other's happy, he enjoyed helping others find moments of excitement where nothing else existed. However, that was it really...he enjoyed it, and that was all.

At times Skull truly wondered if he actually loved anything. He knew he had once upon a time, but that love had twisted and mutated rotting away to a vicious mass of destruction and disgusting vile thoughts and feelings that honestly didn't mean anything and shouldn't have broken him as much as it had.

Skull was quite aware that he was broken, just as he was aware that he might not actually be able to love anymore. The festering remains that clung to him like tar and sunk beneath his mind leaving cracks and breaks made it so he couldn't see anything pure or decent about it anymore. If he ever had...

No, he loved his job, the chance of that moment between life and death where nothing could reach him, where nothing mattered and nothing existed. More he was in love with the possibility of not waking, in love with that moment of nothingness... of no longer having to run from reality, the past, or even himself.

His fans though, he at least enjoyed that. He would give anything for their happiness...and wasn't that a twisted messed up thing? Giving everything to strangers and their nonsensical wants? How broken must one be to give pieces of themselves away that would never truly be returned...

Well, almost everything... Skull was fine with giving pieces of himself, of doing horribly dangerous things to make others happy...

But his own desires belonged to himself. His thoughts, his wishes, his dreams, his true self-buried beneath scars and scabs and broken shattered shards of glass and concrete... This was all for himself alone, it was something he would never give away. He was selfish in his self-protection, his reason for seeing the world as a toy and life as a game with multiple settings. The pieces were fine to borrow out, but the core, the largest shard was his own.

If that shard, his heart perhaps, was given away it would be restrained. It would be captured, chained, tamed by those that could touch it, see it, reach it... And if there was one thing he was possessive about more then that shard, it was his freedom... More then that stupid fragile shard his freedom was his OWN and he would not let it be touched.

It was the only thing that mattered, it was what let him play the games of this toy called the world. If it was taken away, he wouldn't be able to play any longer. It was his checkmate, his game over, his level failed, his Janga, his King Me.... If he wasn't free there wouldn't be a point in the games anymore...and then...what would there be with no games? What would...anything be?

And that's why he was stuck with an uneasy feeling in his stomach as the man vanished as soon as he had appeared. With words of 'I Prescelti Sette', of the Strongest in the World, ringing through his mind. The start of a new game with players that might be just as good, that might enjoy it just as much as he did, who might understand...

It was weak.

A weakness to seek out others that might understand, that might be like him... It was a weakness to crave it, to hope that maybe one of them knew something he didn't. Maybe they might be able to end his immortality, maybe they could help him fade into the void of peace and nothingness. It was weak to allow others close enough to do these things...to have a chance of taking away his freedom.

What if they bound him, what if they trapped him? What if this new game kept him locked in place, connected or trapped with others? What if they got close, what if he let them in? What if, what if, what if...

...It was also weak to not even start the game, to run before it had even begun, wasn't it?

He would just have to make sure he pretended...pretended up a person that could play the game while that shard, himself, remained at a safe distance to watch.


	3. Prologue:The Types of Arcobaleno.

Skull was numb, was blank, was empty... His mind was a horrible place filled with cold ringing silence that echoed... His body moved on autopilot, acting out the role the character he had created for this new game. It was loud, and obnoxious and overconfident... it was a useless waste.

Skull should have listened to his instincts...he should have never allowed himself the moment of weakness, the weakness of yearning, of longing.... He had allowed his loneliness to get the best of him and had been a fool for doing so. Or perhaps it had been what he now knew were his Flames leading him along into the trap he had fallen within.

It had been a disaster from the beginning. When meeting the so-called Strongest of the World he made up a Character to fit. He had made a character with traits of himself only exaggerated and what one would expect from a person with the title of Strongest. An arrogant loud one, that was overconfident and knew he was the best and would accept nothing or no one saying otherwise. It should have been a character that would fit in with the supposed players...

It was a failure.

Perhaps, if the other players hadn't been so much worse, so much more consumed by their superiority with their worthiness and their self-worth. No...these players, they had taken one look, one piece of information and decided they were the Moderators that knew what would become of him. The Game Masters that would direct his role and shove him into it making sure he kept to his Type, where he would conform or tap out forfeiting toward a loss.

He didn't much have a choice, as the Game was still in progress and had already begun....

But he had already lost...hadn't he? The only thing that mattered, that was more important then anything was his freedom... How could he possibly be free any longer? Curse aside, he was now bound to these players, forced to continue to shove himself into their little mould for him. He was trapped in the form of a helpless infant, thrown into the world of the Mafia, and expected to take the shape of a characteristic of a personality type of his so-called Flames.

Unfortunately, Skull DeMort had already had a personality and character built before he learned of his Flames. If he had known of such things beforehand he would have adjusted. As such this just made him more of a disappointment, an abomination to the other players. Made them mock and belittle him more, not only was he not good enough to play with them but he wasn't even in the Character Role of the Type that had been chosen for him.

He was a Cloud, something that was important and obviously rare if he had been forced into this game as he had been. A Cloud was to be possessive and territorial, with a monstrous temper to match their aloof personality. They were strong and protected from a distance.

Skull DeMort, the Shard could almost fit that characterization. He was aloof and held himself at a distance from everyone. He was possessive, although it was more over his freedom than a territory. As for anger....well...he could remember the moment of dark rage consuming him and ripping everything to pieces until there was nothing but shattered remains around him and a river of crimson to play within.

However, he also held traits of the character he had created. After all the better the character was the more realistic one was, and the more realistic ones came from being a part of the reality of truth.

Skull wasn't a coward, but he was always running from something. It had been simple to alter that personality trait. He was naturally playful, he was a player of games after all, so it was simple for that to become naive childishness and foolishness. He couldn't care less about conflict or fighting, so he didn't stop the others from harming him and ordering him around, and couldn't bring himself to complain. It was easier to go along with others then try and force otherwise.

All these added to the obnoxious and boastful character he had created. Becoming what the others thought of him and turning into the mould that they had designed. A weakling, a coward, a nobody, an unskilled fool, a lackey...

A spineless weakling that clung to and tried to hide behind those stronger than him. One that was loud and always bragging things he couldn't back up. A crybaby that whined when he was forced to do things but was too pathetic to fight back. A nobody that they were forced to deal with, an inconvenience that was in the way.

This was the character created for the game of Arcobaleno, the Cloud Chosen. One mixed with the traits of his shard, his true self, and the character he created to be one of the Strongest mixed together within the mould that he had fallen into of uselessness that the others had thought and decided he would be.

He would become something to be kicked around an abused, a mockery of a past so long ago that it was hilarious and left him cackling as he picked himself from the floor to find his own way home. He always made sure he had been left behind before he broke character, and normally he would have been horrified to do so, but...well...

He thought he deserved a little time to break down after becoming an infant of all things. Not only was he trapped in a useless mould, but he was trapped in a truly useless form to match it. He supposed that this Curse would only make his character much easier to play.

After all, children often acted like the Character that had been created, right? Weak and childish, while arrogant consumed with having their way...

As for the others that he was now trapped with. Truly they were all monsters of their own kind. If he thought about it, and he rarely allowed himself introspection since he was constantly stuck with them, they were all completely stupid.

Never mind the loud-mouthed brat who was a cheater that hadn't even been invited to the game, the now Chosen Rain. No, he had hacked the Soldier girl's position and now forced to a game level she had no power in, shoved into the role of support when she should have been a ravager.

Then there was the Scientist, The Chosen Lightning. He was simple to understand and all the easier to strategize around. Unless it involved his experiments he had no interest, but he was just as stupid as the others. He worked himself into a shell on his research, thinking bodily needs were a waste of time. Only causing himself and his research to suffer when his mind was close to cracking and his body forcefully shut himself down. So consumed with learning and understanding the world around him, that he didn't even see the world around him.

Then there was the Strongest of the Seven, The so-called Sun. The Greatest Hitsman was an arrogant little monster that thrived in control and chaos. He was a true Oxymoron if ever one existed. He fed off of Chaos and thrilled created it, revelled in seeing it play out and yet he needed absolute control of everything around him. He was a sadistic man that enjoyed seeing others stare at him in terror and demanded respect. As if the body count his throne rested upon made him more deserving.

There was the Martial Artist, the Storm. Now, Skull would admit that this one was a bit more interesting than the others. Obviously accepting of life and the things that came along, but only to control a raging beast that peeked from behind calm eyes. Skull, would say he didn't have any problems with this one, except he was a person of omission. Unless it involved himself he would ignore what went on around him and only step in if things spiralled out of control. Calm and Tranquil as he tried to be, it was only his acceptance that was his virtue. His policy of not getting involved meant he also thought he had no right to judge or question others. Skull didn't mind this one because he obviously knew how to play the game right, and never broke character.

The Viper, The Mist, was an interesting one, and probably the closest to himself Skull had ever found. As opposed to his loyalty and possession of Freedom and his amusement, The Mist's was to money and information. This was a person that Skull could understand, could comprehend and accept. Much like the Storm they didn't involve themselves unless there was something they wanted. There was always a cost to their interests though, so Skull didn't mind being beneath their notice. However, the Viper also hated incorrect information and had been the one to explain most things he had stumbled across to him. The payment had been in the form of his ignorance as a one time fee.

And with Ignorance came the worst of the Group, the Sky. The Sky, or the so-called Shamen. The reason the curse was able to happen in the first place. The Manipulator. Of the group, Skull had been wary of this one from the beginning. This character had tried to play a doting mother or a caring family member, offering cookies and comfort and wearing a cheery expression. However, nothing had hidden those eyes that stared out, eyes that Skull saw reflected in his own mirror. They were the eyes of the dead, one that was resigned to their fate and who wanted nothing more than to just see it play out. This person from the beginning had been a willing puppet, a character that was created for Sacrifice from the beginning. The Martyr that walked straight to their grave for the better of the so-called all. Skull thought she was a mixture of Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Willing to give everything and thinking they knew better than everyone. That they knew what was right...

These...were the Arcobaleno... These were the Strongest in The World. These were the Players Skull was trapped with until this Game called Game Over. Until either, they died or somehow were free of this Curse that had been placed upon them. These were the ones that would belittle and mock him, would kick him around and use him.

And Skull Fucking hated them.


	4. The Proulge Ends

Skull soon found himself trapped in the world of the Mafia. While he had remained unknown before, the Pacifier around his neck was a brightly lit target. A Beacon to all around him that he had Flames, and after that realization it wasn't hard to feel him out and learn what he was. Which taught him just how much of a pain being a Cloud truly was. 

From the moment he had been able to escape his 'comrades' the hunt had been on. And his precious 'team' only made things worse for him. Openly declaring him the weakest had him being hunted and chased the moment he could be sniffed out. It was near impossible to hide the form of a toddler as anything else. 

Skull had nowhere to return now. Children were rarely allowed to do stunt work, let alone infants beneath the age of at least 6... 

Yea, his form of income was now gone, as was his ability to make others happy, to bring them joy. Skull was an entertainer...he craved making people smile in happiness and joy and just giving them the ability to enjoy their lives for a brief moment of excitement. 

No, all Skull was left with was the body of a toddler and the stupid Mafia...

During his time with the Arcobaleno, he had been forced to complete missions with his teammates. Bonding and practise in Teamwork as Luce always declared with a kind smile and dark eyes. 

There was one thing that brought him relief in his role of a coward. It was being able to flinch away from death, more specifically the death of others. Skull enjoyed making people happy, he gave all that he could so others could enjoy their lives, could feel joy and happiness and excitement. 

The thought of taking it away, with snapping bones, broken flesh, crimson streams, bright flashes of steel, sharp cracks of gunfire, snow white eyes, and lifeless empty silence, silence, silence, he couldn't stand it, couldn't handle it... 

Skull's own search for death was different, once he stopped enjoying life there really wasn't anything left for him but to search for what he couldn't reach. But taking it from others, ripping their lives away from them... 

Skull for all his twisted mind and broken soul and shattered heart wasn't a murderer. He wouldn't cry for it, and even he knew there were those that deserved it... However, he could never enjoy it, could never feel proud of his actions. At most he would feel a deep mourning for the spark of a life snuffed out, and pity for those that he couldn't feel sorrow for. 

Death was unavoidable, but murder...murder was different. 

So being a coward allowed him to escape the more horrible details of those missions. Not that he was able to escape unscathed of course... Reborn, in particular, had wanted to put him in his place, to show him just how much he didn't belong. To remind him of just how weak he was. 

Upon realizing that Skull was horrified and pained by the deaths they caused, he forced him to complete the assignment himself. He made sure the death of their targets were by Skull's hands. However, that was quickly stopped as Skull was quick to disappear and was difficult to find after these missions. There was no point in holding them up just to try and desensitize him. 

Fon respected his refusal to end another's life, he might think it a bit ridiculous at times, but he respected it. Viper was also quick to shrug it off, instead suggesting he move onto areas or aspects away from the deaths and blood, where he would be out of the way really.

The other's never hid their thoughts that it was yet another weakness of the pathetic Civilian. Reborn of course was his loudest protestor along with that blonde cheater. He couldn't even handle blood and death, how was he the Strongest Cloud in the World? How could he possibly be one of them?

Honestly, Skull questioned that himself, as he tried to scrub the blood from his hands with his lungs heaving gasping inhales of breathless oxygen. How was it possible, that he was the strongest Cloud Flame in the world? Surely there was someone better suited? 

Skull didn't mind blood, it had been a long time since it phased him... Watching the light literally extinguish behind one's eyes as the warmth of life fled from their corpse... 

Skull wouldn't deny that he had been sick the first few deaths Reborn forced him to carry out. 

When the Curse accrued and he was finally able to escape from them he was the first to disappear. To run far away from them. He knew he would never be free, he could faintly feel the others in the back of his mind like an itch he just couldn't scratch. Held together and strengthened by the damned pacifier around his neck. 

They would always be there as long as this curse ran through his Flames, through his soul. Meaning that although they wanted nothing to do with him, they could come after him whenever they wanted... Probably to run more errands or be their punching bag, or take the fall for something stupid...

It drove him mad. The moment he landed in his old flat the feeling of despair and rage and trapped, chained, captured, suffering consumed him. He distantly could recall smashing everything he could reach into a mess of rubble. 

Tables, and chairs, and the couch, the bed, the ice box, the counters, the walls, the ceiling, the floor... He ripped everything up in a haze of purple and hatred leaving him a limp puddle of broken bones, shredded skin and trailing crimson smeared across everything... 

Once he was back to his rational mind, and his body had finished repairing himself it was simple to file an insurance claim. It had been even easier to make it accepted he should 'vanish' for some time. If he had deranged fans or perhaps enemies that would tear apart his place...

Skull had never shown a violent bone in his body to his manager or his Insurance company. Although it had been a bit difficult to keep everything to phone calls alone, throwing his voice just enough that it sounded like his adult one had. 

If he was going to be hunted from now on he wasn't going to make it easy... 

If he was going to be forced into the Mafia for this game then it would be on his terms. The Arcobaleno had given him a crash course on the Mafia and had shown him the worst of the worst. Viper had at least made sure he understood contracts before they separated, a favour that would eventually be called in. 

Skull was known as the weakest Arcobaleno, but he was still one of the 'I Prescelti Sette' and he was still a Cloud. It would be a simple thing to make them play along with his games. After all this Character had been created for this game of pretend, he might as well play to his heart's content so long as he was trapped. 

Allies would be a good thing to have, a Guild was only as strong as those that could be called in to defend it after all. The Guild of Skull Cloud needed some cannon fodder at the very least...


	5. Arc I: Guild Loyalty?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull begins to wonder if this is a game he could play after all.

The longer one found themselves playing a character, the easier and more comfortable they felt within the false persona... It could bring a sense of content in the easy, the known.

Skull would admit there were times he became so absorbed with playing the pathetic Civilian that he became lost in the feelings and personality. It was easy to cower and second-guess himself, to give a flashy bravo of arrogance and confidence.

More so when someone has been trapped within that character for over 20 years.

The anger and rage at being trapped and forced into this situation had cooled with time. Slowly calming and fading away leaving nothing but the sting of resentment and the thrill of amusement.

It was fun to see how others reacted to his Character, it was fun to fool the world around him like the showman of a circus, it was hilarious to see people try to hurt him.

He had a bad habit of cackling loudly when someone tried to kill him, which was often.

Things could have been different though if he had been forced to stay with his 'comrades'; his party members. If he had been forced to stay in one place with them...

Well, there is a possibility that he would have snapped. Consumed by hatred and rage until all that was left was a bubbling darkness that would scratch and claw and shred anything that it could.

No, instead things had fallen into a comfortable repetitive grind.

He would complete missions for the Mafia, although he refused to murder, and the Famiglia involved gained the credit and esteem. The Arcobaleno found him and forced him to obey their commands.

As soon as they were finished, usually with his beaten body left behind, they would move on leaving him to laugh at how hilarious they were. How foolish.

Really, it was cute...

Besides, how could he possibly have any true ill will towards them, when his party members were such adorable little things? Even Reborn, the cruel jerk, made such a cute baby that Skull just wanted to squeeze him tightly in a hug. You know...until he popped.

No, the time had definitely mellowed him out, made him find nothing but amusement in it all. And he was amused, enough to even seek out his Party Members when things had been too dull or slow. Thus how the contract with the Carcassa Famiglia came to be.

It was always such fun to try and attack Mafia Land, more so to see Colonello get so annoyed by it.

Skull had gotten used to the insanity of the Mafia world. He had also been able to collect quite a number of Minions and Guild Members.

Unfortunately, his Party Members were claimed members of his Clan, no matter how much he wished to remove them. Meaning at times he was forced to interact with them when he wished he could avoid it.

The Skull Cloud Guild though, lay solely on loyalty! So even though his minions and fellow comrades were witnesses to the abuse of the Arcobaleno and his low ranking amongst them, it was pointless! They continued to respect and admire him regardless!

Quite honestly he had found a number of his Guild hated the Arcobaleno a great deal, for their treatment of him...

Skull wasn't too sure what the odd warm feeling that filled him at these times was...but he had a feeling it was dangerous.

Skull knew it was dangerous to feel anything other than amusement or negative emotions towards others. His fans were always special yes...but these Guild Members were starting to make him...feel.

Skull stared ahead with a frown as he pulled Oodako close in his suite on the Airship. He was an entertainer, he gained happiness and joy from other's happiness and joy... that was the limit.

He shouldn't be concerned about his comrades, he shouldn't be worried and enjoy looking after them. He shouldn't be thinking about their personal lives or care if they were happy outside of his amusement or actions... His Guild was supposed to be loyal to him, not the other way around.

He was beginning to think that this game was beyond his abilities.

That or perhaps he was truly losing it, maybe he was really becoming the weak fool he played?

And wasn't that just a horrible thought?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm, so many roads open to my little story. So many directions, so many choices. 
> 
> Honestly, the more I read other fanfic, the more I become attached to the idea of a Cloudy Sky Skull. I'm wondering if that would fit, or be far too much...


	6. Arc I: Skye, Death, or Skull?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull wonders just how the world is filled with such stupid arrogance.

Skull wasn't very fond of lies or liars. Playing pretend was different. After all, you couldn't be lying if the character wasn't you, right?

That meant that Skull tried to be as honest as possible. As long as he kept to the truth of the Characters he created, then he was always technically honest. As long as he kept in Character then it was never a lie.

All he had to do was remember who the Character was, just who it was he had created to play Pretend. His characters had nothing to do with him anyway so anything they said wasn't a lie, because well, they weren't actually him.

To be honest though....Skull wasn't really sure just who he was either.

Long ago he wasn't even sure he was he. His existence had been split between such extremes that he honestly hadn't known just who he was. He had even begun to doubt he even existed at all and maybe he was a puppet, a doll to be played with...

_To Mama, he had been Skye. But to Papa, he was nothing but death. Death of his dreams, the death of his hopes, death of his future, just...the death of everything he held dear or important._

_Mama had been broken and unstable. She had craved a little girl so strongly, had decided she would have one no matter what... Thus, even when the doctors, even when her husband tried to correct her she refused to believe them. She became violent and vicious against them and their lies._

_After all, how could her darling Skye not be her precious little girl? Skye was such an adorable thing with wide purple eyes and beautiful soft purple hair. How could something so delicate looking, so pretty possibly be a disgusting messy little boy?_

_Thus, Skye had been treated like the little princess that her Mama thought she was. Her hair was long and always taken care of, and mama always taught her how to behave and act. How to be pretty and adorable..._

_Papa...papa couldn't stand Skye. Declared that he was a disgrace. After all, how could his son look like some pathetic little girl? It turned his stomach and filled him with rage and disgust to see his son dressed up in shades of pastel and cute clothing. Papa made a habit of throwing them away, leaving only the option of plain clothes or more boy appropreiate things. This made Mama angry..._

_Mama and Papa argued a lot but were never violent.... no. Papa loved Mama too much to ever lay a hand on her. Instead, he would take his frustrations out on what he decided was destroying everything._

_Funny how Mama would just stand there or block out the sounds of pain and shouting and screaming and cracking and breaking and snapping and peeling and begging and pleading... Mama's little Skye was too precious to hurt, after all, nothing but a sweet little girl._

_Whoever, her husband was punishing was someone else. Her husband would never harm their daughter, and as long as her little Skye was alright she didn't really care what happened to some nameless child._

_Funnier still when Mama would get angry at Skye. When she would scold her for getting all bruised and hurt, like a messy careless little boy. How could she behave in such an unladylike fashion? Did she want to bring shame to her Mama who loved and took such care to raise her right? What was wrong with her? Why did she not listen, why did she not obey?_

_Skye was usually locked up at that point until Mama forgave her little Princess. It was just a mistake, right?_

_Skye hadn't known what they were... They weren't sure of anything, really. Loving caring touches and caresses were so quick to turn violent and threatening. Attentive affection was quick to turn uncaring and dismissive._

_Was Skye Mama's little Princess? Was Skye Papa's disobedient boy? Was Skye bad, was Skye good? What was good, what was bad? They both amounted to pain. Good for Mama was bad for Papa and good for Papa was bad for Mama_....

_Everything hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt... The more Skye tried, the more Skye reached... The more Skye was burned, and hurt, and ignored, and punished, and yelled at, and hit..._

_Skye didn't know anything..._

Skye hadn't known anything...

Skull knew everything.

Skull was a Game Master, he was the Master of Pretend and Games. Skull knew exactly WHAT Skull was. Skull was Skull and always would be, even if he didn't always know WHO he was.

What was an identity anyway?

When there were so many characters and people he could play as, why did he have to conform himself? Why did it matter who he was? All that matter was WHAT he was, not WHO.

Skull...really didn't like liars.

Which was why he was so angry when someone tried to lie to him. He allowed the Arcobaleno to get away with it. Regardless of his desire, they were his Clan and he could allow them certain privileges.

The Weylyn Famiglia did not have that honour, did not deserve that privilege...

That they thought they could manipulate an Arcobaleno was an insult. While Skull was never one to defend his Clan, to be angry or annoyed on their behalf this was different. Although, it rarely needed to happen. It was only when human arrogance bred stupidity, that he felt the need.

They were mocking their sacrifice, their suffering. As if it wasn't bad enough that they had been cursed to an eternity of being mere toddlers... As if they hadn't regretted giving into their own arrogance of being 'I Prescelti Sette', enough to be blinded by the manipulations, the betrayal that would befall them.

As if it was a worthless title, a simple thing...a painless thing.

...No, he didn't care about his Clan personally...but he could respect them to an extent. They were fools and easily blinded beyond their own preconceptions...but they suffered for their worth.

And as those that played the Game knew, Sacrifice was something to be respected if not honoured.

And really? He was the only one allowed to insult and mock his Clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really am new and as such don't understand much in this whole tagging business. If anyone thinks of a Tag I should place for this story, I would appreciate being informed.


	7. Arc I: Weylyn Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull gains a contract from the Weylyn Clan and isn't impressed.

Skull didn't interfere much in the Mafia world.

Despite being forced into it, he still didn't think it was anything that you know...involved him. While he completed contracts and gathered favours it was more to pass the boredom of his curse than anything. Also, every good Game needed missions, Quest's and Journey's it was just dull without.

He also wasn't one to get revenge....alright, that was a complete lie. However, it was extremely hard for someone to push him to the extent with which he needed vengeance.

Which in a way made it much, much worse when he did. His Revenge was never a cold thing, no it was a burning inferno of killdeathsmashriptearshatter that really couldn't be stopped when started.

He was a Cloud, after all, they weren't to be repressed or restricted. However, Skull had long ago learned to have a certain amount of...control over his Rage. Much as when he had accepted that life was a Game and Reality was a boring dream.

When Skull accepted something he did so with a single-minded focus that could never be changed or altered by anything unless he wanted it to.

Regardless, Skull rarely felt the need for Vengeance, much as he didn't have a need for a Territory. Yes maybe he didn't fit all the Status bars of a Cloud, but he was still a Cloud! So while his Rages were few and rare, they were also almost...evolved.

Tempered by the control normal Cloud's lacked they were truly something of Nightmares... Skull always knew where to hit, and sometimes it wasn't through destruction.

Despite his personal dislike of his Clan, they were his Clan...

 _His_...

No, they weren't Elements of the same Sky. Although, he was sure they might think or believe otherwise. Skull had never accepted them and doubted he ever would, even with the false bond of their curse pulling at him as it did...

He really didn't care for them and even his hatred was simmering to indifferent amusement.

Regardless, they were still _**HIS**_.

Skull was contacted by the Weylyn Clan for a contract. Much like the Vongola controlled Italy, and the Mafia world as a whole more or less, the Weylyn controlled Ireland. Of the entire land, only one Famiglia had absolute control. Only one Famiglia existed, and that was the Weylyn Clan.

The Ireland Mafia was known as barbarians to the rest of the Mafia world. Filled with bloodthirsty and violent monsters, it mostly consisted of Storm, Mist and Cloud Flames. Sky Flames were extremely rare and Rain Flames were almost were thought of as unnecessary.

Only those of the official Famiglia were civilized enough to gain any respect. And yet, it was well known that they were just as vicious, able to easily control those within their territory.

The Weylyn Famiglia were cruel and brutal, still using Arena matches and Death Duels to handle disputes. They mostly consisted of assassin's and trained in a Gladiator style.

Needless to say, when they had requested a meeting with Skull, even he had been hesitant to deny it. Which had led to him meeting with the current Boss? Or who he had believed was the current Boss.

Instead, it came to his attention that the Weylyn Famiglia was in the process of Succession. Unlike most Familgia blood didn't amount to much. While it was desired that the power remained with blood kin, they were ruled by strength, by power.

As such when the time of succession came there was actually no one in line, no one chosen.

There had been those favourited by the previous Boss and even his direct bloodline, of course. Regardless, that amounted to nothing as the Boss couldn't have chosen one to take over. No, that title was granted by the last one standing at the Trials.

The Trials was a simple way of saying those that were eligible were thrown into a death brawl and pitted against one another.

The last one standing would take the title of Boss and was required to have kept their Guardians alive. At the very least they needed to have gained a minimum of two Flame Types willing to side with them. The Flames didn't need to be bonded to the Sky, as a Boss needed their adjutants, but they needed to be loyal.

While Sky's were to only ones permitted to actually enter the competition, their Guardian's or allies were fair game as well during the bloody Trials. Leading to sabotage and betrayal...

Which is what was being asked of Skull.

The one that contacted him had been the revealed to be the previous Boss's advisor, his Storm. It would also seem that he had his own favoured, and only one of them held the bloodline of the previous Boss.

Thus, he wanted Skull to help take those that had the most claim or higher chances out so his own might prove victorious.

Although, he never directly said this.

No...he played on Skull's reputation of being the weakest... the least intelligent of the Arcobaleno to try and trick him. The man tried to play with him, claiming that the targets were threats and traitors trying to claim power during the Trials.

It had included a lot of flowery words and paraphrasing, and round about explanations... However, Skull had been taught about contracts by Viper. There was no way he could ever be tricked by such nonsense.

Even Reborn had trained him in a way, by learning to sniff out a liar no matter the face they wore. After all, Reborn was his most sadistic when he smiled pleasantly and happily.

More specifically, of all the suggested targets he had been given only one that was absolute. A young girl at that, and the granddaughter of the previous Boss. A young girl that was listed as a Cloud Flame and as such...

**'Shouldn't have to deal with such a bloody mess. It wasn't like the girl could claim the title after all anyway unless she bonded. And honestly, I think the poor dear should be, and my client would be the perfect Sky for her to bond to I think. It would help keep her safe. I would appreciate it if you could...persuade her, don't you think?'**

They that thought the Arcobaleno were a joke, something to be used and mocked... They wanted him to trap a Cloud, to help force it into a bond with their chosen Sky. A Sky that was a scheming little snake that couldn't even deal with his own issues and needed to be 'looked over and protected'. A pathetic Sky that wanted to chain, trap, force and steal the freedom of a Cloud...

Well...that....just wouldn't do, would it?


	8. Arc I: Cloudy Sky of Weylyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull meets his target and chosen fighter.

When Skull met Aerona Weylyn he thought he was looking in a mirror. There was nothing about the girl that looked like him, but still... There was something that pulled him, that told him that she was him and yet she wasn't.

More importantly, there was the fact that Aerona wasn't a Cloud like he had been told.

Oh, Skull could feel the Cloud Flames, could see they were rather strong in her soul, surrounding and eclipsing her. And that was before her body had been coated in them as she threw people around like rag dolls and shattered bones easily.

No, it was the same soothing complete feeling that Luce once had that told him otherwise.

The feeling that had called and pulled, but that he never felt an interest in or a need for.

How was it that no one else seemed to notice this? Why was it that they were only seeing the Cloud, why couldn't they feel, hear, taste, the Sky Flames that simmered around her?

And oh... he supposed he was looking in a mirror wasn't he?

Aerona was a teenager that had hair as red as blood and silver green eyes, and yet she had bright Orange Flames that burned and shined covered by Purple...

Exactly the same as Skull had once seen upon a time. Before trust, safety, hope, lies, betrayal, pain, rage, hate, hate, hate....unforgivable....

And maybe....maybe that's why he could feel them, could see them...

Skull had never seen multiple Flames before, had never seen two types merged together. He hadn't known it was even possible. He was still distant with the Mafia and its world, including the Flames.

Except for in a hazy dream he had thought was an illusion and was now wondering if maybe...

In a distant memory, he could also recall feeling something different about Lal Mirch as well, if he thought back. However, that was 20 years ago and he hadn't even known what the Purple Rage he felt even was, let alone how to feel the other types. But this made things a bit more clear...a bit more interesting.

Still....it made his decision to side with the Cloud, no Sky so much easier...

* * *

 

"Skull-Sama, I've taken care of the weak little Beta's. I also know the codes to the Castle's system, should we attack now?'" Aerona's voice was a silent thing, almost soft if not for the monotone boredom that rang through it. The girl was an odd and fun contradiction.

She walked tall and balanced as someone of Noble birth would, yet there was no pride or confidence. She spoke bluntly and crudely even coldly with formal wording, yet she was uncomfortable speaking and unsure about everything she spoke.

She was strong physically and knew a brawling style that was all brute strength and painful blows, yet she couldn't stand human contact and had anxiety attacks if she was crowded too closely.

She was an aloof Cloud that hated humanity violently and yet Harmonized too powerfully to make others avoid her, even in their own self-interest.

...She trusted no one and yet was so quick to connect with and accept Skull that it was painful for both of them.

Skull would admit that it was...strange... Having a Comrade that he just knew he could trust... And why was that, he shouldn't, he couldn't, his Character was foolish to even do so let alone Skull himself.

He had his Guild, of course, that was ever so loyal to him, but even then he wouldn't trust any of them to actually protect him. This Cloud though, he found himself falling asleep around and even turning his back too...

And there was something strange in this as he knew Cloud's did not get along. He had never been able to handle any he had come across before, keeping a decent amount of paranoia and weariness around them. They were Predators ready to strike and he wasn't one for it at all.

Aerona wasn't a Cloud though, not really, but it was her Cloud Flames that she reflected most and that poured from her. She had explained that she was a Cloudy Sky, and even though her Sky Flames were strong she was far more Cloud then she had ever been Sky.

To Aerona she was a Cloud regardless of her Primary. After all, Skies connected to people and drew them in craving Harmonization, and that was something she wanted nothing to do with.

Because of this Skull started thinking of her as the Cloud she showed, instead of the Sky she was.

Stranger still was that she was fine with the Character Skull played. By all rights, she should hate him, be annoyed at his Loud Obnoxious Weak self as most Cloud's were and want to kill him.

Instead, she accepted him, she didn't even try to look past the Character he revealed with the small mistakes he made.

And really, had he become so compliant that he was making such Noob mistakes? Had he let his guard and his skills dissolve so much that all it took was contentment and fledgeling trust to have him stumble and break Character?

Aerona wore masks, she didn't have Character's like Skull did no, but he could see her masks shift and change. They covered and concealed, enhancing only what she wanted.

So although it embarrassed him, humiliated him that he had shown weakness's in his Profile, he was grateful that it was another Player that had realized this.

Skull was really beginning to dislike Mirrors...although he couldn't bring himself to shatter it either. What to do, what to do?

"Of, course!" Skull finally declared with a loud cheerful cackle as he stood dramatically posed upon the rooftop they were resting on.

"Those pathetic underlings will regret the day they dared insult the Great and Amazing Skull-Sama!" He declared pointing a finger in the direction of the Castle.

"The Great Skull-Sama will not be used by subpar weaklings and now they will face the wrath of Skull-Sama!" he shouted with a deranged cackle.

Aerona from where she stood beside him was silent as she stares ahead at the place that had once been like home.

There were a few Allies that Aerona had gained, mostly those that had been betrayed since her Grandfather had died. While not loyal they were willing to help her. There were also a few that were Loyal to the Cloud herself ready to fight.

It was well known Aerona refused to bond, and while that would cause problems in the future it wasn't anything she really cared or worried about.

While the rest of Ireland was watching the Trials, they would head straight for the Castle. It was time for a game of Siege, and Skull would be the victor even if he had to tear the entire Clan down.

And by the end of things, there wouldn't be enough of the Battalion left to fight or deny Aerona taking command and Skull gaining his Revenge.


	9. Arc I: The Siege of Weylyn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull knew how to play war, he also knew how to play pretend. So was this a pretend war, or was it a war of pretend?

Come the night that Skull launched his attack the world had shifted, an alternate or mirror version of the area morphing into place around the Players.  
  
Where there had once been a beautiful sprawling landscape was now a battlefield of destruction. The air was filled with the sound of humanity's desperation for survival, gunshots, and the continuous thud of bodies hitting the ground. The once cared for grass was ripped up and filled with muddy craters and singed earth.  
  
The castle that had once stood pristine and elegant was little more than a mass of rubble and ruin. Smoke trailed the sky heavily from explosions as the night glowed a crimson orange. The Siege had begun and the castle had long fallen.  
  
Skull wasn't a fighter, well...not really. Skull knew how to fight of course, but his skill rested in using the environment and his enemies against themselves. Skull knew that without his Cloud Flames enhancing his strength he was a weak person physically. At least when compared to the insane levels of the Mafia.  
  
So no, he would never be a master fighter or a powerhouse, but he was skilled at Combat. More specifically Survival Combat. He might take a hit, but he _knew_ **how** to take a hit.  
  
What use was a fighting technique if no one could hit him? What use was reading body language and predicting his movements, when he redirected and changed in a heartbeat not actually thinking through his attack. What use was skill when he crawled over the bodies of his enemies like a monkey and used them to attack themselves? What use was creating strategies to try and counteract him, when he had no strategy at all and simply fought like a rabid animal going for the throat?  
  
No, Skull would never be a Master fighter, but he was a Survivor damn it! And Survivors were always the last standing, even if it was due to dumb luck or careless recklessness.  
  
A Reckless Wild Beast...  
  
A Monster.  
  
Skull couldn't help but cackle every time he was called that. It was only ever his enemies that were ever terrified enough to declare that, and they were the only ones to see it. Screaming as they begged and ran trying to escape, but the silence always found them in the end. The dead couldn't talk, right?  
  
Skull never took credit for the damage he caused, after all, he wanted a name in the Mafia, not a Reputation. He was a Lackey Civilian. He was weak and spineless and pathetic, there was no way he could leave a pile of bodies behind him. No way he had a kill count that was reaching a number to leave him dry heaving and shaking with terror at night.  
  
Skull wasn't a murder, and this wasn't killing.  
  
No, he was Grinding, gathering experience points and gaining endurance to level up. The enemies he killed would respawn eventually so what did it matter? And if they didn't, then it was simply an area that only had specific groups for him to kill. It was most likely a place he wouldn't need to come back to so there was no respawn equipped on the area.  
  
They were canon Fodder, they weren't real people.  
  
Skull hated liars, yes, but he wasn't exactly lying to himself either. It was a consequence of a Cloud keeping themselves controlled. When they did become unleashed then reality was a pretty vague thing, and really the Rage took most of the trauma away with it.  
  
Cloud's could easily hurt or attack what was theirs because it was only their right to do so after all. Their tunnel vision was just that severe, or was it Narcassitic self-centred possession?  
  
Cloud's were a naturally unstable and insane species, to begin with. Skull always knew his streaks of Insanity and since he believed in it completely, it wasn't lying if he contradicted himself or broke his own rules.  
  
None of it was real, as it was all a game after all.  
  
None of it mattered.  
  
Skull knew just how broken he was.  
  
He was aware of that as he jumped from person to person, twisting necks, and snapping spines, and ripping arms, and jerking legs, and busting heads...  
  
As long as he never looked them in the eye, then the pile of corpses around him that burned and creaked and smelled richly of copper and iron were simply props. They were extremely good props, but then again his helmet stopped him from picking up the finer details or maybe mistakes in their consistencies.  
  
A snapping explosion of purple caught his attention. Skull hummed loudly he watched his new friend attack with fangs and claws. Aerona was not graceful or elegant at all, all savage brutal strength and Rage. Whoever she was fighting now, it was obviously personal.  
  
Skull squinted slightly as he tilted his head at the figure trying to escape her whining and screaming and crying an-Oh! Now he remembered, it was the Sky that wanted to bond with her!  
  
It looks like they didn't get along.  
  
The crumbling of a castle wall had him cackling happily once more, as he jumped over the next person that lunged at him making sure to snap their back as his heavier body landed harshly upon it.  
  
Skull's Rage was slowly fading, had been since he killed the one that had hired him. Still, he couldn't help but admire the Chaos around him. Reborn was the one that caused Chaos and was surrounded by it, so Skull rarely got to be the creator himself and just enjoy it.  
  
It reminded him so much of his more extreme and fun stunts, that despite the Rage no longer controlling him, he couldn't stop himself from continuing to play. Although there really wasn't a need to gather Experience anymore, he was Level locked now. And Aerona would need some of her armies around to command.  
  
Seems that he no longer needed to Grind, that was fine. He just needed to disable and take down those that would aim for Aerona.  
  
Oh! That meant he was on Support now! He would be casting the Buff's and Status Aliments to make sure his Party leader was fine!  
  
Alright then! Time for a role change!

* * *

When the night broke way to dawn it was to the remains of the battleground the Weylyn Castle and grounds had become. The castle was only partially standing, half collapsed with rubble and skeletal remains of the missing foundation. The bodies had been piled up and were being handled by the Castle Staff and Security. The scent of death, destruction, smoke, and blood was heavy and cloying.  
  
The blood-soaked ground had Skull heaving over the wastebasket Aerona had guided him too. His new friend was silent as she lightly patted his back with light emotionless taps. She was silent about the sobbing hysterical mess he had become with the dawn. When he could see, could smell, could hear, could feel, could remember...  
  
And ah....how could he not think of this other Player as his friend? His TRUE Party Member, that his Clan had never been. When she was willing to touch and comfort no matter how much it disgusted her.  
  
The Main Office was partially destroyed, leaving an open hole to the destruction below. It had been the place Aerona and those that were loyal to her had gathered. It was a small group, and Skull was sure she didn't return that Loyalty, but at least she had her own Guild Members.  
  
It took time before Skull could control himself. Before he could push the memories and feelings away and fall back into his obnoxious loud self. It was when his grin was back and his posture was once more cocky that Aerona allowed her Guild to return to the room.  
  
"Skull-Sama..." She began, eyes flicking once more towards the outside.  
  
How lovely was his little friend, she even knew how to pay him the proper respect!  
  
"The Weylyn Clan are now in your debt, and shall forever be." She spoke with a scowl on her face, harsh and speedy with her words. She spoke in the forceful formal tone that did not sit well with her at all, but that she had shown Skull since he appeared before her with the contract he had been given.  
  
"I know you have refused for your part to be announced or acknowledged, and I shall respect that decision. However, from this moment the Weylen Clan shall be in allegiance towards Skull DeMort, for as long as I shall live." Aerona said with a glare of her eyes towards the Toddler, daring him to complain or reject her vow.  
  
That's it, he was adopting her! She was his Protege now!  
  
Skull merely laughed happily, cockily with his hands on his hips. "Of course! The Great Skull-Sama will allow you to bask in his amazing presence by being allies worthy of the Great Skull-Sama!" He declared brightly. "And I will expect complete loyalty and obedience from those in debt to the Great Skull-Sama!" He declared pointing at Aerona.  
  
There was a shuffle of anger and outrage from Aerona's Guild....Hmmm, what would be a good name for it he would have to ask her. Aerona however, merely looked at him in amusement as she nodded with a sharp jerk.  
  
"The Weylyn will forever be at your call Skull-Sama." She vowed with a tilt of her head and a glare to silence those around her. She might be Queen for now, but she knew who the true Victor had been.  
  
Skull couldn't help the glee that filled him. Take that Reborn! You might have the Vongola's trust, but Skull had a Famiglia's complete allegiance and obedience! Not to mention the Caracassa.  
  
The Great Skull-Sama was the greatest of all!


	10. Arc I: Viper Always Knows...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull was so comfortable in his game of Pretend that he forgot other Players existed.

Skull was enjoying some time off with Oodako when he received the phone call. It had been 2 years since he had adopted Aerona as his protege, and sadly, strangely he found himself becoming closer than ever to his Guild due to the fact. 

Aerona had visited his Airship once and upon meeting his minions had more or less turned his Guild into a Cult. He didn't know how she did it, all he knew was that his Guild wasn't just Loyal anymore...they adored him. 

It...wasn't something he knew how to handle. His Character hoarded the attention and played to their whims. Allowing them to all but worship him and try and gain his favour. Skull though... Skull wasn't sure how to handle affection, actual adoration. 

His student knew his discomfort, they were too alike after all, and thought it amusing in her sadistic little mind. Although, not so little anymore. His student was now 17 and almost a legal adult. He supposed it was payback for more or less forcing her into the Leader Position of her Clan. 

So Skull had taken to retreating into his room or completing missions more often than not. Although, that brought a few more truths home that he hadn't noticed while he was so consumed with his Character. His Character was so self-absorbed he was oblivious.

His Character had Loyal Fans, and they weren't only in his Guild. His Allies were now Loyal to him and respected him. Allowing them to take credit for his actions, always completing his missions regardless of the trouble, being too reliable... It hadn't gained him the Reputation he feared and avoided no, but it had gained him Loyalty and Admiration...

A certain Protectiveness he had never expected or believed in especially in the Mafia and wasn't that just so strange? He wasn't the Hero, so why was he gathering like one?

"The Game is becoming very difficult indeed Oodako..." Skull sighed as he held his companion for comfort. The octopus was sympathetic and gently patted his head with a tentacle. 

When the phone rang Skull sighed as he reached down to answer it.

"Eh!? Viper needs a favour from the great and amazing Skull-Sama?" Skull asked in complete shock. He didn't even try to hide beyond his confident arrogance, Viper was the last person to ever need help. Maybe the game had shifted to a Spin-Off?

"Mu...you do owe me for teaching you about Contracts and Flames, remember? I am cashing in on that."

Skul paused for a moment before laughing loudly. "Of course, Viper would need help from the Great and Amazing Skull-Sama! After all only Skull-Sama is powerful enough to be worthy of helping his fellow Element!"

Skull knew they weren't Elements under the same Sky, but they were bonded in a way that was similar enough to be accepted as such.

"If you could stop playing pretend for a moment I would appreciate it."

Viper's reply had Skull freezing in place as his entire body tensed. His hand tightened on the phone in his small hands as a cold sweat broke out. "What...does Viper mean? The Great Skull-Sama didn't know we were playing a game." 

"That's because I'm not although you are." Viper replied and Skull could hear the amused smile that would be on their face. "Mu...I'm an information broker. You might not have a reputation, but I have kept an eye on you Skull. No one can hide from me forever."

Skull remained silent. There wasn't much he could say. Sure his Character could boast on fooling Viper longer than most...but that would just be admitting that they were right. His mind was flashing with a blaring siren as Game Over took over his vision. 

"The differences between the Skull I know and the one the Mafia World knows, are small and if not closely looked into, insignificant. I normally would have looked away... It's normal to hide your true abilities and even self in the Mafia. Even you as a civilian would have hidden upon learning we were so-called murderers as you claimed. However.... the Loyalty you have gathered made no sense."

"Ah?" Skull questioned distantly. 

"Yes, you have no history of contracts or missions outside of Caracassa, and yet you have people Loyal enough to you that they would die before seeing you hurt. The Weylyn, in particular, have been vicious against any notion of capturing or killing the Arcobaleno. Stage...since we have never met or had any connection to them..."

Skull blinked at the admission. He remembered back when the Weylyn were still rebuilding. Since Aerona had taken the position of Queen, she had been quick to demand rules and laws to be followed. The Weylyn had been a place of Chaos and bloodshed, and there was nothing that could be ruled over when it was like that. 

Ireland would never have an organized Mafia, but it would be a controlled one at least. The new Queen's actions had been swift and brutal against those that defied her. As per their way, her people had any right to challenge or try and kill her and that was something Aerona was fine with. 

However, she was not fine with the Civilians that were collateral damage to her Clan's fighting. So while she had left their Laws as they were, she had reinforced Obedience from her Clan and taken measures to begin Damage Control. 

One of her rules had been that the Arcobaleno were off limits. She had stated that as a Broken Clan she did not need to deal with the Arcobaleno and the Famiglia they were allied with striking when they were weak. Especially not due to something stupid like trying to take down the 'I Prescelti Sette'.

It made sense, as the Weylyn Clan had been known to be the only ones insane enough to even try and assassinate an Arcobaleno. So while it had led to conflicts and resistance among the Clan, the other Famiglia's merely thought that the Weylyn had finally been taken over by someone with a brain. 

"I might not know what game your playing or the reason, but I do know that your not the Skull DeMort I met during our time together, nor are you the Cloud Arcobaleno that the Mafia World seems almost fond of. I will admit that possibly be explained by our years cursed. We have all changed even a little, but the truth is your character hasn't changed at all and that was a red flag."

Skull's eyes widened as he realized what Viper was saying. He had forgotten Character Development!

"Meaning...that you haven't changed at all over the years because it hasn't been you since the start... I don't know who you are...and I won't ask."

"Eh?" Skull couldn't help but gasp out in shock. Viper not demanding or asking for information was unheard of. 

"Mu, it would be pointless. I don't sell Acrobaleno information unless I'm asked to by an Acrobaleno. So finding out who you are wouldn't amount to anything I could profit from. Although I personally don't like knowing something, the fact that I know this much will suffice...for now. Don't worry, you can keep playing pretend and I will play along....but for now...I ask that you stop..."

"...The Great Skull-Sama wonders, is Viper in trouble?" Skull asked softly. 

"You could say that." There was a moments pause that let Skull know Viper was thinking. "I need someone I can trust, and someone that can think for themselves and know when to follow orders."

Skull sucked in a deep breath at Viper's words. Was Viper saying they trusted Skull? True, Viper had never been cruel to Skull. Actually, Viper had treated Skull as they did everyone else. As something to make a profit and use to their advantage. 

However, Skull had never even pretended to believe that one of the Arcobaleno would actually trust him. So how...why was it that Viper seemed to?

"I've seen how you play Reborn and Colonello. You never ran form their attacks, instead, you turned into them. And when you would be left you would return louder and more obnoxious before. As if you had been amused by something or enjoyed it. The others might have thought you were just putting on a brave face and making yourself seem more important by crying out for more attention. However, that was the only time your eyes didn't look fake. "

"Viper...thought Skull-Sama's eyes were fake?" He questioned in a faint tone, his mind was clawing through memories, trying to find a scrap or a shred of any of this.

"Mu....You were a loud and Obnoxious crybaby, and yet your face was always so confusing. Your face was always so stern looking, despite any emotion you showed otherwise. Like I said, it was easy to think that you were playing the tough guy, easy to fall for it. The others just thought you were hiding how scared you were."

Skull thought for a moment. He supposed it made sense. It wasn't until they learned he was a civilian that they really showed him much interest, and by then they had revealed just who they were. Of course, they would expect him to try and act bigger then he was. 

"Your eyes though always looked so bored even when in pain or crying. When you were laughing or they shined in amusement. Even in your anger...there was always a bored acceptance in them. As if you were simply resigned to everything." Viper paused here as if uncertain about something. 

"To be truthful Reborn was the one that first brought it to my attention." Viper admitted. 

"Eh!? Reborn-Sempai!" Skull couldn't help but shout in worry and fear. 

"He thought it was because you didn't understand just what you were getting involved in. It was easy to be bored with people when you didn't know how dangerous they were. That's why he sought to break you so quickly, so it could be done with and out of the way. He didn't want to deal with dead weight or a future breakdown. Instead...you didn't change at all, only became more annoying." Viper explained with a hint of amusement in their voice. 

"Eventually, when Reborn noticed that you looked resigned to everything mixed with the boredom, he shrugged it aside and let it be. As long as you understood what you were getting involved in he didn't care if you were too stupid to get it or not. He suggested that was just how your eyes looked, thinking it came from being 'unable to die' as you had claimed."

Skull was silent as Oodako tried to gain his attention smacking his face lightly with his tentacles. That jerk Reborn had been aware of that much!? He hadn't been able to see through the Character, but still... 

"I think it was because he decided that you weren't worth the attention that he never noticed just how amused and gleeful you were after his and Colonello's so-called training sessions. Once Reborn decides someone isn't a threat or worth notice, he's completely oblivious..." Viper almost complained with a sigh. 

"I see..." Skull finally said as he looked down hugging Oodako once more. There was silence for a few moments, he just knew what was coming next.

"I expect 15,000 for the information. Reborn will be quite unhappy that you knew he once was suspicious of you."

Skull groaned with a high pitched whine as he mourned for his ban account. He wasn't poor no, but he didn't exactly keep that kind of money laying around. And Viper always overcharged him anyway, then again they did that with the other Arcobaleno as well. 

"The Great Skull-Sama will have Viper's money soon..." He pouted. 

"Very well....bring it with you to the Varia."

"EHHH!? YOU WANT TO GREAT SKULL-SAMA TO COME TO THE VARIA" The screech that escaped Skull had Oodako wincing and moan of pain from Viper on the other end. 

Maybe he was getting a bit too lost in his Character....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit odd, as it didn't flow as well as I would like. Sorry if it is anyway confusing or annoying.


	11. Arc I: Unknown Area's and Why is the save point gone?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull thinks about his student that he left behind to help Viper...he is also terrified of where he is.

Skull didn't bother to hide the shudder that filled him as he arrived at the Varia. It was something both his Character and he agreed on. The Varia were terrifying monsters! Skull wasn't afraid of much truthfully, except trust, hope, love, and betrayal, it was difficult to be afraid when death was beyond one's reach. However, he was more than apprehensive of the Varia.

The Mafia was filled with monsters, but these were assassins... They were in a separate skill bracket altogether. Skull didn't think they were invincible or anything, cause even for his Character that was completely stupid! Yet....he was still terrified of even being near the Varia...much like his student was terrified of someone declaring feelings towards her...

Skull would admit he was getting a bit annoyed at having to calm her down after someone tried to confess to her or try and form a Bond with her...

Although the Caracassa were happy with the new test subjects they received, and the body pieces and organs for the black market. Aerona might not be one for connections but those loyal to her were rather vicious towards those that made a move on her. It was a bit frightening.

Skull was also perfectly aware of his own....protective tendencies of his student. How could he not be?! His poor little Cloudy Sky was being chased after and hunted by horrible fiends that wanted to cage and chain her! He could not allow such a disgusting vile thing to occur!

Besides Skull had only been the one to take offence twice or maybe five times, he swears! Skull isn't a murderer after all! Skull leading them to the Caracassa wasn't a big deal or anything. And he never actually involved himself with hurt-tort-puni- _relocation_ to their new positions... And his student could take care of herself! Really she could!

Skull had never met someone with such a great fear of human interaction as his student. So although he knew she could take care of herself, Skull could also not ignore the panic and fear that basic human interaction brought to his Vicious little monster, really was she a tiger, maybe a panther, a crow, or maybe she was a dragon, a black widow? Hmmm...he would have to figure that out.

Regardless no matter how strong she was, he would not leave her to the mercy of those that would _**betraybreakshattercracktearlieriphurtpaincagechain**_ trap his student. He would destroy them first...

....They deserved it! There was no **proof** that he had done anything anyway and why was he  defending himself in his own head!

Skull blinked rapidly giving a small noise to clear his throat as his thoughts started to sink beneath his Character's limit. Honestly...he wasn't sure why he was at the Varia, nor was he sure how he was supposed to feel or act about it. Viper had asked him to stop pretending...

But he couldn't just break Character like that! It had been 22 years since he had been locked in this form, in this Profile. It wasn't a simple thing, not to mention it would mean forfeiting the game!

Still...both Skull and his Character would admit that Viper was the one Arcolaeno he would be willing to do a favour of such degree for.

Perhaps, it would be best to...evolve his character? It would be easy and simple to do. On his journey here, he had thought about the Character development he should have been working on. He didn't have to break Character...not completely anyway...

Skull had made a name as the Cloud Acrobaleno in the Mafia World...one that was a bit different from the Lackey, and yet was still within his Character. Viper might be a Player now, but they were not aware of who he was and who his Character was. Only that something was false. They were also not aware that they were in the game, instead of stumbling upon it by chance.

The Character development could be worked around the Mafia Profile he had built up and created. He could also easily play off wanting to be underestimated and looked over. It was also easy to play off not wanting the other Acrobaleno to be aware....they had never been kind or supportive of him.

Except for Luce.... _that traitor_...

Yes, he supposed that would be a simple thing to do... But~ It would also depend on just why Viper had pulled him away from Ireland and back to Italy. He would also have to pay Viper a fee to keep his altered Character away from the others.

AH~ So much trouble! And the game was still in the Grinding Questing phase with no end or Events in sight! How time consumingly boring! To be truthful he was tempted to hunt Checkface down, cursed or not!

Why couldn't he have just stayed with his vicious little student? She liked his Character! Adored him even! At least there he didn't have to worry about the Game until an actual Event was started and called his attention. Now he was just torn between himself and Avatar and it was such a pain~

Skull pouted quite adorably within this toddler's body, as he crossed his arms. He was not above using his cuteness to his advantage. If he was trapped as a toddler he would play every card he could as one! And that meant letting people coo over him so he could bask in their attention and joy.

Too bad such a thing was useless on fellow Acrobaleno...

Skull's eyes drifted back up towards the Varia's building. There really wasn't any going back was there? He was standing above a blank spot on the map, a void of an abyss to which he had to jump within as there were no other directions.

....Yes, the tears in his eyes were real, and no he was not ashamed of them! He just regretted that there was no save point to fall back to.

And all Players knew how it felt to be at that point where you only had one option... No matter how many times you were killed and forced to respawn. The agony and mind-numbing hatred of a boss you have no knowledge about, but also could not avoid and that kept killing you over and over and over and over. And this wasn't even the final battle...

Yea...there was absolutely nothing wrong with crying!


	12. Arc I: Welcome to the Asylum-I mean Varia.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Skull is attacked by a shark, crashes into Jack the Ripper, knocks over a Lightning Rod and is cuddled by a Peacock. Reborn-Sempai would be proud...

Skull had been right to be terrified of the Varia.

Within moments of stepping into the castle, it had been one disaster after another. The moment he stepped within, it felt like he had entered a tomb. There was a cold void feeling as if all of the happiness and joy had been removed viciously. There was a deadened feeling in the air that spoke of betrayal and vengeful regret.

There had been a loud teenager with short silver hair demanding answers with a sword swinging in his direction. Of course, Skull's first reaction was to run. He had trained his body far too well to Reborn and Colonello's attacks to even stop and think before he ran.

Skull ducked underneath the sword swinging teenager before running around the room. With every leap and dodge and slide away from the sword, the more the teenager resembled a shark hunting for blood. Skull stopped running circles around the boy, making him dizzy only made it become deranged it would seem and dashed out of the room. Making sure to springboard off the shark's head as he did so. The following thud and curses granting him a sigh of relief.

This, of course, led to him to an even bigger threat. It would seem that while Skull was escaping one predator he found himself within the jaws of another. More precisely a young boy with a grin that made him think of Jack the Ripper with the gleaming shine of his blades. If he hadn't been so busy dodging he would have admired the blond boy's skill with his daggers. As it was, his dodging ended up with another teenager with black spiked hair getting involved.

Skull could only watch as the newcomer he crashed into clumsily failed to evade the dangers coming towards him. Skull fled at the first sign of Lightning flames crackling angrily. When he heard the sound of the loud one reaching them before the feeling of electricity shot through the building, he almost felt guilty.

Reborn-Sempai would be proud...

When Skull visited the Varia headquarters, he unknowingly broke the somber and dead feel that had taken over since the Cradle Operation. He was also responsible for the destruction of Levi's office, the chaos of the Squads being scrambled to look for an intruder, and the wrath of Belphegor when his tiara was accidentally stepped on and bent and united Levi and Squalo in defence.

Of course, he wouldn't be aware of that fact immediately.

No, instead Skull had stumbled upon another person during his escape.

"Well aren't you just the most adorable thing I've seen?"

Skull held still within the large hands that were holding him up. He couldn't help but tilt his helmet covered head at the young adult that was smiling brightly at him, with bright blue shaded hair.

"I must say, purple has never been my shade, but your suit is perfectly tailored. And such detail on such a small scale, I'm quite jealous. And your helmet has a cute octopus on it as well. Simply adorable."

Skull blinked slowly once more. "Thank you." He eventually said with his high childlike voice, gaining a cooing squeal from the other, before he was pulled into a crushing embrace.

"Oh, you sound even cuter!"

Skull didn't even bother struggling from the other's hold. He had been the victim to fangirls one too many times, struggling just made it more painful. So, Skull continued to stay limp in the affectionate, but painful, embrace while listening to the sounds of destruction.

Eventually, the male calmed down enough to hold him back out. "Now then...Ah!" The male his eyes landing on the purple Pacifier around Skull's neck. "An Arcobaleno. You must be here to see Mammon then."

Skull paused for a moment before slowly nodding. He could vaguely recall Viper saying they went by Mammon now. They had never inforced Skull to change though so they were still Viper to him.

"Yes, Mammon told the Great Skull-Sama to bring his payment to the Varia..." Skull spoke a bit less arrogantly and far quieter than he usually would. While he knew he needed to play his evolved Character he was still reeling from the mess he had just escaped.

The sound of something collapsing reminded him of that.

"Oh, dear..." The male said as he made an annoyed clicking sound with his tongue. "Seems that there will be quite a mess to clean up." He huffed with a shake of his head. "How about I take you to Mammon before I deal with that, hmmm?" He questioned with another bright smile.

"The Great skull-Sama would appreciate your help, thank you." Skull declared gaining another round of cooing and cuddling. Well...at least he could deal with this better than whatever chaos as going on out there...

* * *

 

"Mu...seems you had fun," Viper said with an amused smile on their face as Skull placed gently down before the Mist. "Lussuria," Mammon said with a nod towards the male.

Said male waved happily before he spun making his way out of the room with a slight hop to his step.

"Mu....I should have had you come sooner... I haven't seen him smile like that...and it seems the others are more awake too..." Viper said in a thoughtful tone as they shoved their hand in Skull's direction.

Skull was quick to hand over the money bag that had been with him. Most of the Acrobaleno tended to just wire the money to Viper, but Skull knew the other liked the feel of money in their hands.

That was why Skull always made sure to bring an assortment of bills and coins so the other could enjoy it. Sometimes even throwing in random bits of currency from different nations. It did lead to a bit of a hassle, and the other Acrobaleno seemed to think it was because Skull either stole or found most of the money in random places...

He wasn't about to correct them.

"Mu...Skull...be serious with me..." Viper said after they gleefully upturned the money bag and finished sorting everything into matching piles. "I was wondering...what did you feel when you came here?" Viper questioned. "You were always really sensitive to atmosphere's." It was amusing when it didn't leave him shaking and crying on missions.

Skull paused for a moment and crossed his arms. "The Great Skull-Sama thinks it feels like a tomb. Like death and betrayal..." Skull trailed off thoughtfully.

"I see..." Viper spoke quietly, an odd thing for Skull to hear. It was even stranger to see Viper actually leave the money in the piles they had created. "Skull, what do you know about the Varia?" Viper questioned.

Skull blinked in confusion and tilted his head. "The Great Skull-Sama knows they are assassins and are connected to the Vongolo."

"Mu...is that all?"

"The Great Skull-Sama has never had anything to do with the Varia. I am not a murderer...also I might know more about the Mafia, but I don't really keep up to date." Skull said with a moments pause. "Has...something happened?" he questioned.

Viper was silent before they drifted away from the table. "Strawberry milk first." Viper declared, grabbing Skull's arm and pulling him along. "I always liked yours."

Skull was silent as he was once more pulled through the rubble and ruin of the Varia headquarters. His mind went to memories of making Viper Strawberry Milk when they had still been in the mansion. It had been the easiest way to pay Viper off, and also a way to cheer them up when the others were being too loud and annoying. It didn't happen very often, but Viper had declared that Skull's was top brand...

Skull couldn't help the creeping chill that crawled up his spine.


	13. Arc I: Who is Skull DeMort?

Learning about the coup the Varia had attempted on the Vongola hadn't been that surprising. While rare for hostile takeovers when it comes to the Top Mafia Famiglia, it was common for the lower class ones. Neither was the knowledge that the Varia were now under Vongola command since it had failed. 

Being under house arrest would suck all the joy out of a place.

Learning that Viper had even bothered to be involved in such a thing was a bit more surprising. However, he had known that his fellow Element had some form of loyalty towards the Varia. And he honestly wondered....just what was it about this Xanxus that sparked such loyalty?

Learning that there was a type of Sky Flame that could freeze...was terrifying if he was honest. 

"Mu...I had wondered if Cloud Absorbation was a possibility for melting or destroying the ice..." Viper said as they placed their glass of Strawberry Milk down. "The 9th Vongola is strong though...so it would take the strongest Cloud to even attempt it." Viper explained slowly. 

"That's why you wanted the Great Skull-Sama to come." Skull declared as he spun his own glass around on the table. 

He had to admit being the evolved form of his Character was a bit of a relief. He loved his character, but being loud and hyper and arrogant at all times was a bit draining. And the crying....no one had any idea the types of migraines he had from the pathetic weak act he played. 

This, this was fine. As long as he still played up his complete confidence in himself he could pull back on the brashness, the boasting and be a bit more thoughtful. His Character was a Prideful person after all, even as he was being beaten into the dirt. 

"Mu..." Viper paused for a moment. "Of course, I would pay you for services rendered. I am also aware that it might not even be possible, but..."

"However, you still wanted the Great Skull-Sama to try." Skull finished for his Clan member. This was the first Mafia Route Event he had found in some time. It was a bit strange that it was a Varia Mission, completely unexpected actually.

"I at least wanted to know if you could do such a thing. You were new to Flames when the Curse was placed on us." Viper explained it had never been hidden that Skull was completely new to all of it when he was chosen.

"You wanted to know if the Great Skull-Sama could absorb the Frozen Flames..." Skull declared with a boasting tone, more for those that were spying then for Viper. 

Viper nodded sharply at the others words. 

Viper wasn't sure if Skull had actually learned anything in the years that passed. He had become stronger, smarter, more aware of course. That was human habit and instinct. However, Viper could not tell if Skull had become stronger with his Flames. Even then, not all Cloud's could use Absorption, but Skull was an Arcobaleno, one of the "I Prescelti Sette". 

From the first meeting with the Immortal Stuntman, his Flames had been thick and oppressingly powerful. You could feel them, taste them even as they saturated the area and even the very room around him. And that was when they weren't even active. 

It had been a complete shock that he was a Civilian. An insult even, that someone who had never even truly used his Flames had the strongest of them all. 

A Purity that had covered and consumed even Luce.

It was disgraceful really, and it was also terrifying. 

If this Civilian's Flames were like this untrained, what would they be when they were? It had been a rush to try and train him, not only because of what he was and could be but, because he was their teammate and they could not have a liability.

It had been frustrating when he failed so completely. 

Then there was the confusion of his actions. Skull was a Cloud, there was no denying that but he also didn't fit... It threw them off further and made him all the more strange, all the more wrong. Skull had a love of being free there was no doubt. When he hid no one could find him and he never stayed anywhere for long. He drifted away easily willingly, even his attention and thoughts were hard to keep. 

However, he had no possessive tendencies. There were no territories, no claiming, no belongings that he would kill over...even his bike he would simply shrug off and repair. He cared nothing for strength, instead complaining about training and refusing to give the effort. 

He didn't even seem to latch onto people as a substitute's, obvious by the way he tried to run from them whenever he could. No...Skull was obviously a Cloud, and yet not a Cloud at all. 

It was the combination of failure, weakness, and the complete feeling of something that didn't belong that kept the Arcobaleno from bonding with the Cloud.

Colonello's frustration turned toward Violence and anger, Reborn was not only insulted that he failed to teach someone but was disgusted by how weak and useless he was, Verde simply became disinterred more so when Skull refused to let him perform some tests on him, Fon became resigned to deal with a whiny weakling that complained about everything, Lal was just fed up and didn't want to deal with him at all, while Luce just acted as if Skull was an accessory; something that was needed but not really thought of or cared for. 

As for Viper, Viper had been annoyed but intrigued by the lack of information on their teammate. 

His family was easy to find, but obviously not something to be spoken about. The death of his parents was mentioned but hidden perfectly for the fact that no one seemed to honestly care what had happened. He vanished completely for years on end only to show up in a Circus. When the Glen Wood Massacre brought an end to that, Skull was the only one standing. 

Following that was a trail of classes and studies, identities and personalities, Stunt performances and acts on Broadway and the big screen. There had been Skull and there had been Skye and it was so easy for Viper to see they had been one in the same. 

Viper had never before come across someone that they honestly questioned if they were real...

Viper had never been one to become whimsical or philosophical. They knew reality and they respected it, could not be swayed or denied. However, when Viper looked into Skull's eyes...there was nothing there. 

The more Viper looked, the longer they knew Skull, the more they knew. Skull wasn't hiding his emotions, he wasn't controlling his face, he wasn't blocking everything out. 

There was truly nothing there. 

It was as if there was an Abyss within the Stuntman and Viper was looking into the cold emptiness of death itself and knowing there was nothing after. 

It...terrified Viper. 

Viper was one that survived, they craved life to be able to continue living. It was the reason they didn't protest the curse as much. The body and weakened Flames were a problem, but the long years had been enjoyable. 

And that was why Viper respected Skull. There was obviously more to the Stuntman then anyone ever knew. Would ever know. And Viper respected that. 

Information and Knowledge were second only to money, and Viper admired how well Skull had hidden all of his. By not trying to hide anything at all. 

That and Skull really did make the best Strawberry Milk. 

So Skull could whine and cry around the others. He could continue being a masochist and let anyone and everyone beat him, just because it amused him. Viper had heard him laughing. Skull could continue to praise Reborn, and annoy Colonello, and fool the others into thinking that spineless crybaby that they had seen on their first mission was a real person. 

Viper would continue to watch and learn about the other personalities, the cracks in the mask. And perhaps, Viper would be the one gifted with the information of just who the Cloud Acrobaleno truly was....

Maybe they would be able to look into those purple eyes and not fear the Abyss within. Maybe even understand it...

Viper had no need in friends, what were they worth if there was no worth to be gained from them? 

Skull, however, Skull was not someone Viper minded all that much. As a matter of fact, Viper prefered to be in good standing with the other. Viper had seen some of those movies, purposely looked for the Stuntman within them. Viper knew Skull could take a beating and still laugh while black and blue. Viper had seen Skull jump in front of bullets and be gutted and diced as if they were simple pinches, annoying but nothing. 

Viper knew that Skull was completely insane and most likely broken. 

Viper also knew that they were the best type to have at your back when the time came. 

"Hmmm...The Great Skull-Sama can Absorb other Flames with his own and he could try on the Frozen Sky Flames...but he will not." Skull finally declared, 

Viper's head shot towards Skull in shock. "Bu-"

"VOOI!"

Suddenly Squalo stood with Skull dangling from his fists as he shook him ruffly. "What do you mean you won't even try and help the boss?!"

From Skull's shaking vision he could see a scowling Levi clenching his fists behind the loud-mouthed shark. His demands weren't as loud as Squalo's but were a rambling thing. Lussuria's smile now seemed quite a terrifying thing and the blonde brat's daggers had made an appearance. 

"If Skull-Sama did he would just be frozen again." Skull cried out over the shouts and demands around him. 

Suddenly everything stopped, and Skull was thankful the shaking had. A toddler's body was not made for such rapid action shaking. He was quite sure his neck had actually snapped from the faint burn he could feel beneath his skin. 

"Mammon said you're Xanxus was frozen as punishment and it was quite painful. However, it was a punishment meaning it is intended to be removed. You say he is still alive, after all. If Skull-Sama were to break the ice before the 9th decides to, then he might just do it again." Skull explained, helmet turned more towards Viper than the group before him. 

The silence was echoing and sharp, with resentment and anger curving it to a sharp point. 

"The Great Skull-Sama might not even be able to... And wouldn't it be more painful to gain him back only for him to be taken away again?"

Skull landed with a thud on his back as he was suddenly dropped. The oppressive feeling of dread and emptiness had filled the kitchen swiftly. 

The silver loud one seemed to almost be curling in himself. The black-haired one was distant and stiff, robotic-like almost. The child almost had a rain cloud above his head, daggers loosely held in his hands now. The oldest of the group had gained a mournfully understanding expression as he sighed. 

Viper finished his Strawberry Milk with a single gulp. "But...a test wouldn't be bad..." Viper said slowly, shattering the horrible silence. "True, breaking the ice is not an option...as you are right. The 9th would simply redo it if he thought we went around his back... You are also right that he plans to break the ice one day himself..."

Skull pushed himself up from the ground. "Knowledge." He suddenly declared loudly, causing unhappy reactions from the boys. "You want to know that should there be a need, if it ever happens again, that the Ice can be broken," Skull said watching Viper nod sharply. 

Skull crossed his arms and thought for a moment. "Skull-Sama could try. Maybe not all, but a piece? Ice can be broken, can it not?" Skull asked. 

Viper hid the smile that wanted to crawl up their face. "That...is doable."


	14. Arc I: Broken Doll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull meets Xanxus...kind of.

Skull's eyes stared at the scene before him in horrified silence. His mind wasn't even really registering...  
  
"What..the...hell...?" Skull questioned weakly. He had known, of course, they had described what happened, but to see it...  
  
Viper was silent as they stood beside their fellow Arcobaleno. Viper shifted slightly at the choking crack that was in Skull's voice. There was something wrong... They could tell in the odd way Skull was holding themselves, almost like a puppet with loosened strings. The thread was keeping him upright, but it wasn't taunt enough to control or direct him.  
  
Viper turned their attention to the reason they were there. Xanxus had been sealed and locked away, so they could only get here by sneaking in. It wasn't often they did so, as they couldn't afford the Varia to be more restricted than it already was.  
  
"Somehow his flames are still active, it's because of that his Elements haven't completely lost their minds. They do suffer though...the Flames are distant things, and with him sealed away like this..." Viper didn't finish his sentence, watching as Skull stepped closer to the pillar of ice.  
  
Skull's eyes were locked onto a pair of crimson ones, eyes that screamed **ragebetrayalpainsufferinghatredhatredhated.** The figure of a male trapped within, scars trailing along his face and body beneath clothes. More importantly, Skull's eyes were locked on a pair that was completely aware and looking back.  
  
"I can sneak a member in every now and then, but if I do it too often the 9th would notice. The Varia are already in too much danger to chance the 9th possibly eliminating them or doing the same..." Viper muttered. They didn't think the 9th would go so far, but...then again Viper had never thought the 9th would do this to his own son either.  
  
"Xanxus did betray and attack the Vongola that is true... but this-"  
  
"It's vile and disgusting is what it is! To even think of doing something like this is...is..."  
  
Viper was shocked at the rage that had twisted the other Arcobaleno's face, made visible by the helmet that crashed onto the ground near him. His eyes were a glowing vicious purple that actually looked toxic, and Viper would swear his pupil's had retracted much like a cat's did into slits.  
  
Viper was quick to snap their mouth shut at the site before them. They had never felt rage from Skull before...no not rage, but hatred. It was honestly terrifying to them, bringing shivers along Viper's body and causing a layer of cold sweat to rise in response.  
  
Skull's Flame's had wrapped around him, thick and heavy and consuming shadows. However, they lay on his skin not escaping and not seeking out to **destroymaimripshatterteareradicate** like they obviously wanted to. Viper watched them try and jump from his skin and be denied...  
  
Viper would admit they had never expected such control from Skull, but it made sense...  
  
Viper watched as Skull twitched and jerked. Somehow keeping in his mind that they were here under an illusion. His hands clawed and writhed with crackling bones and stretched leather. Viper was sure that if he could Skull would have ripped this place apart, Vongola be damned if he had the chance.  
  
Instead, it seemed as if he was turning his rage inward, destructive in the way his body jerked and shuddered as demonic eyes glared at every inch of ice before him.  
  
Skull had a Cloud's rage it would seem, and it was a terrible and destructive thing...  
  
Skull's Flames were sharp and vicious and burned... oh did they burn. Viper gulped lightly as they shifted, not wanting to move away, but not wanting to make any sudden movements either.  
  
Skull, however, wasn't paying much attention to his Clan member. His horror had consumed him, his disgust, his rage, his hatred.  
  
This...This was a Cloud's worst nightmare. Being trapped without the ability to even move. Having all freedom and Will stripped away and mockingly reminded of it continuously. Forced to stay in a singular position as long as another wanted you to as long as they willed it, forced to be aware and conscious and completely useless, not even being able to speak or struggle or...or...or...  
  
Skull couldn't help but whimper slightly and flinched back not from the one trapped but from his own thoughts, his mind, stopping himself from curling in completely.  
  
"Who would even... I don't care why. Nothing is worth this! Death would have been preferable. This...This....not only is it unforgivable to rob someone of the basic human functions of free will and movement. It is also completely humiliating! Like a painful pathetic form of time out where people can gawk and mock and laugh...and...and..."  
  
_**The table was hard and cold and he wished he could move, could run away but the bands were too tight. Everything ached and cried out in pain and even if he wanted to his flames were so weak were so dim from being forced and pulled and shaped and stolen. His throat was a burning ice-cold splash of straining pain as air moved through the torn ligaments and muscle and flesh and his chest was empty and hollow and wasn't his heart there, shouldn't his heart be there, why wasn't it there!? The lights were bright and sharp and stung as things were pulled and cut and torn and shoved around as he laid open and in pieces and he was awake and knew and he couldn't sleep couldn't shut his eyes couldn't move couldn't move...**_  
  
Skull was only vaguely aware of the panicked tone that his voice was coming out in or the gasping pants he took with every breath. His purple eyes wide and locked on a face trapped in rage and torn by scarred burns of pain, of betrayal, of an unforgivable inhuman nature...  
  
"Skull...Skull..." Viper was quiet and hesitant as they floated around the other.  
  
Viper wasn't sure what had happened, but Skull's Flames had faded, like a candle snuffed out so completely not even smoke remained. Viper had been terrified of Skull's Rage they would admit, but they were more frightened by this...whatever this was. Suddenly Skull was no longer a terrifying beast and instead was a broken doll with cracked china and **emptydeadvoidabyss** eyes staring ahead as his body shuddered and seemed to be breaking from within.  
  
His Pacifier was a blinking flickering light.  
  
Viper bit their lip, a deep sadness crawling within them, something that had been forgotten long ago. Viper's eyes moved towards Xanxus and the ice surrounding him. Viper's hands clenched in a moment of indecision, before locking eyes with unforgiving red.  
  
With a sharp nod and jerk forward, Viper moved to gather the ice that was loose. They were not sure if it was from the creation of the flames themselves, or the attempts of the Varia to free their leader. All Viper knew was that those shards were loose and they needed to leave.  
  
A spark of Mist Flames covered and erased everything as they vanished away from the sealed room.


	15. Arc I: {Varia} Scorched Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viper and Lussuria take a closer look at a broken Cloud and come to some painful truths.

Skull was empty...broken...

That much Viper was aware of, Lussuria had jumped up as soon as they appeared before him with a hyperventilating Skull who was limp and unresponsive much like a stringless puppet.

Viper hovered nearby as Lussuria tried to gain a response from the Cloud, only to end in complete failure. To Skull, Viper wondered if they even existed right now. Sun Flames were useless, as the cause of the problem wasn't any type of physical damage Skull had sustained. Although Lussuria was sure to heal the Flame damage Skull's Flames had caused by restraining and turning in on themselves. 

Something that was obviously a frequent thing the man came to find as his Flames moved along the other's body. Hadn't anyone noticed before? Lussuria knew there was a Sun Flame in the Arcobaleno, so why had this never been noticed and handled? Surely he must have checked his fellow Element? 

The longer Lussuria allowed his Sun Flames to feel along Skull checking him over, the more disturbing and horrifying the results. 

The wounds were healed without a trace, but the residue was left behind. Faint traces of scars and wounds that lit up to Lussuria's Sun Flames like glow in the dark paint. As if saying, 'we are here, gone but not forgotten'. That wasn't even counting the evidence of forced healing, was the Sun Arcobaleno responsible?

Viper was silent as they watched an odd frown crawl along and set on Lussuria's face. 

"Mammon, darling are you aware of how often your little Cloud heals himself?" Lussuria asked, his eyes darted over the purple-clad toddler, and weren't those piercings simply darling! He had known the Cloud was a cutie, but oh that face was simply precious! If only it weren't for the dead look of those eyes, Lussuria had seen more life in corpses before. 

Viper frowned and thought for a moment. "Skull calls himself the Immortal Stuntman. I've also seen him survive being shot and gutted, even when chunks of him were taken out. He heals fast enough, that we never worried about it. He has an ability known as an Undead Body, meaning he's more or less indestructible as long as a piece of him remains."

Lussuria arched an eyebrow in interest and nodded. That would explain why the Sun Arcobaleno had never taken care of this then if they didn't see a need. There was also the possibility that he couldn't, of course, might not even be skilled at healing. He would make sure to question that little Dino if he remembered correctly he was being tutored by Reborn.

"I see, and do you happen to know how often he has allowed himself to be scorched by his own flames?"

Viper blinked completely thrown by the question. "Scorched..." They repeated the phrase completely uncertain. 

Lussuria nodded, as his Sun Flames pushed farther dug deeper, bringing his frown to fall away to a blank expression. "Yes...although, perhaps it wasn't all self-harm..." Lussuria spoke in a cold tone that brought a chill down Viper's spine. "You're little Cloud appears to be quite damaged..." He spoke quietly. 

"Cloud Flames can be vicious, although not like Storm Flames they can be similar enough. More so when they are used internally. Cloud Flames usually have a target when they are activated, something to propagate to help destroy. However...it seems this one's Flames never truly deactivate..."

Viper frowned deeply trying to understand. "You mean Skull's Flames are always active?" They questioned slowly. 

Lussuria nodded. "Constantly running beneath his skin, like a waterfall upon a rock....and like that rock, it will wear and destroy what it's touching over time. Cloud Flames are not used for healing properties, strengthening yes and even multiplying blood and cells and copying organs if needed....but they are not Sun Flames, and over time they will cause damage. More so if constantly used on the same body. Used rarely in the way your little Cloud does it wouldn't be harmful." 

Lussuria's hand twitched, making a motion to touch or clench all in one. "Constantly though...it's similar to Flame Scorching. Almost like unknowingly turning his Flames on himself to self-destruct. And obviously, he has been doing that purposely as well..."

Viper was silent as they sucked in breath harshly at Lussuria's words. They had just witnessed Skull keeping their Flames locked onto himself while in a Rage. Trapped and turning upon themselves instead of being free and roaming. What other times had Skull done that...why... 

"These could be healed with Sun Flames easily enough since there is no outside influence," Lussuria said after a moment with a hint of glee in his tone, causing Viper's heart to relax from the painful feel it had picked up. 

"There is though...outside influence I mean. Your little Cloud has been purposely scorched before." Lussuria mentioned distantly, causing Viper's heart to stop altogether and drop. 

"Influence?" Viper repeated, their mind rushing through interactions with Skull. "Skull was scorched?" Viper asks in a broken demand. 

Surely none of them had, no! Even with how unkindly or even abusive, the other's had been, they would never have scorched the Cloud. Besides Scorching was connected to Sky's wasn't it? A forced Harmony, forcing one's Flames to bow the Will of another. Of, course other Flames could possibly do it as well, if they were strong enough. The only times Viper had really heard of Scorch cases though, had been with Discordant Skies. And if it had been a Sky...

Luce wouldn't have done such a thing, would she?

Lussuria could feel Viper's Flame's moving in reaction to whatever they were thinking. Obviously, this had been yet another thing the Arcobaleno hadn't known about one of their own. 

Really... Lussuria had always thought that the Arcobaleno were at least the same Element's even if they weren't under the same Sky. Seems that theory was wrong though...just what was it that connected them?

Lussuria pushed the thoughts aside. It wasn't any of his concern really. He turned back to the unresponsive figure before him. "I'm not quite sure. It has obviously been years, so I couldn't actually tell you the damage. All I know is there are traces of it within your Cloud. There are traces of Scorched Sky Flames connected to his soul, and not only one type either... What a horrifying thing...."

Viper's fists clenched as Lussuria stopped talking, looking upon the Cloud Arcobaleno with a sympathetic stare. 

Viper had never been close to Skull, and Viper had no need for friends... But Skull was different. He was someone Viper didn't mind...

Lussuria eventually called Squalo in to see if he could at least calm Skull's body enough to fall unconscious. 

Viper remained a shadow within the room, they were silent as their Flames rolled and curled within them. It was an odd sensation, one Viper was not used to at all. Viper wanted to be the one to meet the real Skull... Skull was a Cloud and Viper would never chain him or trap him. Would never seek to tame him. 

Viper also couldn't let Skull go or be hurt like that anymore...

How unprofitable...


	16. Arc I: Like It Never Happened

"Ahah! The Great and Amazing Skull-Sama has conquered the Frozen Sky Flames!" Skull declared as he stood hands braced on his hips and laughed triumphantly. Ignoring the fact that there seemed to be a chill of ice water pushing through his veins, but no one needed to know that!  
  
Lussuria who had taken on the position of the cheer squad, complete with tan and black pompoms, cheered happily and moved in for victory cuddles. Lussuria had come to find Skull was a very comfortable cuddle toy and didn't mind as long as he wasn't trapped.  
  
"After all, the Great Skull-Sama's student has a habit of carrying Skull-Sama around when together!"  
  
It also helped that Skull seemed to appreciate the attention. Lussuria could feel it in the way Skull relaxed in his arms and even curled into the warmth of Lussuria's hold. It just made the Cloud Arcobaleno all the more adorable to Lussuria in a way Viper could never be. It also made him understand just how affection starved the Cloud was, something Lussuria was more then happen to work on correcting. The rest of the Varia didn't want his affection, the brutes!  
  
Viper was moving around the area, trying to make sure there were no traces of the ice or the Sky Flames that had been connected to it. It would seem Skull could indeed absorb the Zero Point Breakthrough Flames. Viper would make sure to guard that information viciously though, making sure it only remained among the Varia Elements.  
  
After all, if the 9th found out the Cloud Arcobaleno could absorb those flames...  
  
Viper allowed their natural frown to deepen at the thought of Vongola hunting Skull down. They had made sure to keep a shard of the ice from Skull though. Viper wanted to test it and see if it was only Skull that could do so, or other Cloud's. Speaking of, Viper wanted to see if Skull could replicate the remaining shard. They would have to remember to have him do so.  
  
Although a bit odd to Viper, they didn't question their sudden protectiveness over the Cloud Arcobaleno. As an Arcobaleno, they all had a certain level of protectiveness of each other. It wasn't anything personal or even serious, but they were the same Elements, even if they were Skyless. And while they had never actually bonded with each other they still more or less belonged to one another.  
  
It had never been anything serious really. If they learned someone was hunting one of them then they would pull together and eliminate the threat. When one of their own had been seriously harmed, they would get involved. Simple things like that, they had never gone out of their way for one another though. Except for Colonello and Lal.  
  
So maybe it hadn't been protectiveness and was a weak form of possession. Either way, Viper was aware that they had shifted perspective. No longer was their connection to Skull a weak Possessiveness, but it had turned protective and...well...interested in the others wellbeing...  
  
Viper wasn't sure, but they almost felt like they had acknowledged the bond between Skull and them. Something that had always been in the background because of their curse, the faint threads that tied the Pacifiers together and more or less forced them to be Elements of the same Sky although loosely. And while they hadn't bonded, not fully, it had finally been acknowledged. As such it was now like a neon light connecting them and pulsing with thick Clouds of Mist and smooth and cool and calm and free moving.  
  
Viper faintly wondered what this would mean in the future. When Xanxus returned.  
  
Skull woke up, trapped and fully submerged into his character, with cracks that were showing himself. To the Varia, this was fine, after all, Skull's Character fit in perfectly fine with the insane group and was a source of amusement. They decided that this was Skull, and he just had moments of the person he sometimes changed too. They wouldn't question it, then again the Varia was good at not questioning things.  
  
The only ones that had any thought of concern were Lussuria, Viper and Skull himself.  
  
Lussuria was aware that the Cloud's mental state was most likely fragile if not broken. Meaning that either his personality was some type of barrier or shield, or he was a fabulous actor. One that had been catatonic like he had could not just bounce back. Lussuria let it be though, as he didn't really know the Acrobaleno very well and as long as he seemed stable it was fine.  
  
Viper was aware that Skull was pretending again. However, they also couldn't fault him for it. Whatever had happened had obviously fractured something or at the very least shaken him. They decided to give him some time to readjust. Not only had Lussuria healed some things, leaving Skull more hyper and nimble than before and really he was like an acrobat, but Skull obviously was either on hyper alert and was trying desperately trying to keep control.  
  
Skull, Skull was a bit trapped. He was hiding, giving control to his character as he fixed himself and replaced the shattered pieces. Stitching and taping things so that they could continue to hold for him. He still had a game to win, after all, he couldn't fall apart now!  
  
However, Skull also knew he was unravelling... Just how long would he have to continue like this? How long would he be playing this character? Just how far would he slip into the role.... How merged would this Character become with the real Skull? He was starting to lose sight of the answers and was becoming quite bitter about it all.  
  
The bitterness led to a mischievousness he hadn't felt in a long time. It was a strange combination...and he was enjoying it. He was bitter about the position of his Character, and yet so amused about it that he ended up laughing at everything including himself. He found everything far more fun and playful, and he could no longer tell if they were Skull's feelings or the Character's feelings.  
  
The Varia did not help, instead, they seemed to naturally enhance the Character's.....well everything. They enhanced his own Insanity and amusement and gave the Character's Prideful Boasting and Arrogance a perfect fit. It was probably why he was having a hard time separating Skull and his Character, the entire Varia seemed like a mixture of the two.  
  
Skull had been surprised when Viper asked for their second favour, in light of the Ice Flames, Skull had forgotten. Forgotten Viper had said they needed someone they could trust, that could follow orders but think for themselves.  
  
The last Cloud Officer had betrayed Xanxus and the Varia. Those that served under him had been blindly loyal...completely under the influence of the traitor. The entire Cloud Squad was under the possibility of continuing where the traitor had left off. Meaning that those that remained were a pit of....well vipers.  
  
Viper had hit him for that one. ...Levi had too.  
  
Other then purging the entire Squad they just didn't have the time to weed out and clean the pit. With Vongola weighing them down with demands and missions, they were barely able to focus on their own Squad's. Leaving the Cloud Squad completely shut down for now.  
  
Skull was also not an assassin and even the Vongola knew this. They were the one Famiglia that Skull had always made sure to fool, the one he had never worked for or approached. After all, Skull wanted to win the game, he couldn't do that if the Head of the Council were suspicious of him. If they noticed him and kept an eye on him, he would be restricted So he couldn't allow himself be useful to the Vongola, he would never be left alone.  
  
Look at Reborn, training little Mafia Boss's to be and at their beck and call.  
  
Meaning that even though he was 'working' for the Varia, Vongola would not demand or expect him to carry out the near impossible list of missions and orders that the others had. Skull would be the one left behind while the others were gone. They would think he was a nuisance that was making things harder, messing things up. A Secretary, a way for the Varia to claim they had two Arcobaleno even if it was the weakest.  
  
It would also prove that he would fly under the Vongola completely. That it would never get out that he was working for them. They would think he was a waste, a favour from Viper to watch over the Varia and make sure Vongola didn't extend their control while the others were gone. They wouldn't be aware that he was systematically hunting and finding the traitors and cleaning the nest.  
  
They wouldn't think that he was worth anything at all. A last desperate attempt, by a desperate group that had been defeated and lost their precious leader. A way to boast prestige when they had lost it all.  
  
It would be a long, but amusing Mission.  
  
Skull would admit that he enjoyed it though. True he didn't feel like Skull anymore at times, but.... Skull had been bitter and angry and filled with rage and disgust that could only be abated and ignored by bringing others amusement and joy, by giving others something he couldn't seem to feel. Happiness.  
  
Skull had been completely shattered, completely broken.  
  
In the Varia... He was his Character, but it didn't feel like he was playing. Honestly he felt...free... Something he supposed he should have felt with the Arcobaleno but didn't.  
  
The Varia had no expectations for him. He simply was. If he wanted to be his character and whine and cry and complain, Squalo would complain back and shout and laugh at him.  
  
If he wanted a moment of calm and peace, Lussuria would usually enjoy some time cooing at him or trying to think up outfits for Skull to wear outside of his jumpsuit.  
  
If he wanted to be serious and was talking about theories of physics they rolled with it and just accepted it, Levi would usually listen to him and even would be interested at times.  
  
When he wanted to be himself and was filled with a disgust in humanity and wanted to think of ways to maim and shatter, Belphegor was all too happy to help him or talk about how unworthy the peasants they were surrounded by were.  
  
Rather they were Skull, or rather they were the Character... Skull just....fit.  
  
Honestly, it terrified him.  
  
It terrified him more then anything had in so so long... He couldn't trust the Varia, and he shouldn't feel comfortable around them. Killers, and thieves, and murderers...  
  
He also knew he couldn't continue like he had been. Playing a Character and keeping himself completely separated had been slowly destroying what was left of his sanity. It had been breaking him down until he was close to returning to that...  
  
To that tiredness, he had once felt when _he_ _just **wanted it to end**_ **.**  
  
Skull couldn't go back to that, he wouldn't go back to that. He had found something...interesting. The Toy that was the World and all the Games that it contained within it. There was so much to be interested in, so much to play with he couldn't let himself go there again.  
  
Everything was a game and Skull was not going to lose by forfeit. He refused! So even if he snapped, even if the remaining shards of his bust into shattered pieces of glass and dust. Even if that last piece that was his, was him was eclipsed and finally cracked...he wouldn't give up. He wouldn't lose this game!  
  
Skull...didn't want to return to the _Abyss_...  
  
**He refused**....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bit of trouble with this chapter, as it deleted halfway through. By the time I realized the redo button was too far out of reach. Meaning this Chapter might not flow as well, I apologize for that.


	17. Aerona: Wolves and Hounds.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clan's of Ireland, the Wolves and Hounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the next Arc of this story are mostly scenes and small fillers of what happens the 8 years until the main series starts and we catch up with the first chapter. As such, I'm having a little trouble placing what I want and am missing a few ideas on what happens through the years. I want some scenes with at least everyone in the show! Without messing Canon up too much, as it's still following it as of now. 
> 
> There will be Varia moments! And Arcobaleno moments! And Minions moments! And Oodako! And I might even slip a few little Tsuna moments in!
> 
> While doing this Aerona popped into place and decided that she would be explained a bit in a few chapters. Not much, because she hates attention, but to show the mind of a student of the Great Skull-Sama. So a few might be the background on her or pieces of the Clans. 
> 
> I recently drew a rough picture of Aerona and Skull's faces side by side, and am trying to draw a few pictures of them together. Unfortunately, I am no artist and am horrible at proportions and or anything action like....or drawing at all, lol. So while I would love to make some scenes from the story, Aerona and Skull fighting or just moments of Skull, I am pretty talentless! So while I'm coming up with ideas and maybe pictures? Enjoy this little bit about the Clans!

_The Ireland Clans were a mismatch of strength versus skill. Your blood, although important was worthless if you were weak. The Clans didn't care much for what went on away from the Motherland, however, they did have their connections and business away from home. Ireland was quite big in the trade industry and clothing, particularly wool and the like. They also had a strong grasp on the shipping industry and most boats, international or cargo belonged to the Clans somehow._  
  
_As such Ireland had a big hold on most things that were transported or traded, be it legal or not. When something needed to be transported overseas, and without notice, the Clan's were the ones paid. They chose the fees and decided just how much the Russian's were willing to pay for their labourers and weapons, or the Italian's for their priceless art and guns._  
  
_Outside of the trade and shipping Industry, Ireland was also well known for its training programs. Most members of the Mafia spent some time in Ireland, being forced to survive among the blood-soaked streets with drunks that could and would rip you to pieces. Of course, this was away from the civil people and Nobles, mind you. If you could survive the fighting rings and sleep in pubs with bloodthirsty ravagers, then you could survive the cleaner world of the Mafia outside the Motherland._  
  
_Ireland also was well known for having fingers in just about everything. Big or small, important or not, the Clan's were connected to everything in the Mafia world. No, they didn't keep it running and it wouldn't fail without them, but they were a foundation that connected most things. Around before even Giotto and Cozarto so long ago. The Clans had been protecting and looking after their Motherland and territory far before the Italian's decision to do the same._  
  
_True the Italian's and their Mafia, were organized and began with intentions for something more, something better! The Clan's had always been there, from blood-soaked lands, and bloody war history. From conquerers and tyrants to invaders and the sacrificial teachings of the pagans and Druids. The Motherland was home to the survivors, the warriors, the savages. They would guard and defend her until their deaths, and even then their spirits would become part of it._  
  
_So while the world grew civil and organized and modern, the Clan's adapted but remained the fundamental creatures they had always been. The children of their the land, the servants of the earth. Fighting and killing and protecting and sacrificing...all for their Motherland..._  
  
_They were something more already, spiritually they were more than simple humans. More than simple-minded savages. They were Guardians. The Clan's, that had once made sacrifices toward the Tri-Net-Sette and were always willing to give up blood and soul for survival and their people. They knew far more about this world than most gave them credit for._  
  
_Humanity long forgot, or perhaps tended to ignore that the Clan's were creatures more than human. That they had adapted and learned teaching's far beyond themselves. That they knew there were powers, beings far beyond themselves. The pagans and the Druids, the spirits and the wills..._  
  
_The Clan's had been around long before, and they would remain long after. So while the Mafia world viewed them savages, and forgot that the Clan's helped build up their infrastructure and Organizations...the Clan's would remember. They would remember the strings and connections they had, the secrets they knew, the histories that were forgotten_....  
  
_And they would always remain._

* * *

 

Aerona Blevine Weylyn was born to a proper and privileged Noble family in Westport, Ireland. She was born of the kind, loving, and beautiful Gwenda Weylyn and the fierce and unyielding warrior Cahir Weylyn ne' Cacanisus.  
  
**Aerona was born to a lie of disguises.**  
  
She was a grandchild to Ambros Archu Weylyn the CONRI of Weylyn and Brighid Rieka Weylyn the MABH of Weylyn. She was the 7th Grandchild of 4 children. She was the daughter of a Flameless, who was as such no longer one of the wolves of Weylyn.  
  
**Aerona was born to a destiny of feral bloodlust,** descendant **of the Wolf Queen and King.**  
  
Aerona was born to a mother who was Flameless and bitterly filled with rage at being insignificant compared to her siblings, at not being as superior as them...as being beneath them. Even when tested, she simply had no flames to find and was a fangless mutt among the Hounds and Wolves of Weylyn. Even when allowed to be trained as a hound she was found lacking and skill-less.  
  
**Aerona was born where those beneath were to suffer and amounted to nothing but cannon fodder, meat shields.**  
  
Gwenda was given the nice privileged life of a Noble with all she could want and need and given choice to marry as she pleased, but to never shame the family. She was still pampered still loved by her Clan, still adored by those loyal...but she was subpar, below them...  
  
**All children of Weylyn are given a name for their** **fangs, their animal instinct. They were Hounds and Wolves, at times even Felines...but always predators. Gwenda's name was removed upon her** **exile to Nobility.**  
  
The Weylyn were a Clan of Amythyst Wolves or Cloud Flames as the other Famiglia claimed. Blessed with Amber Wolves when destruction and disaster were on the brink. And if not then it was the Amythyst's job to find their mate their other half. As in other Famiglia, it was well known the Amber Wolves, or the Skies were the leaders. While in Weylyn they were always born Amethyst, but their mates were always Amber. As such, they could have their Amber lead alongside their Amytheyst. Their King and Queen.  
  
**Aerona was born with Flames, it was something that disgusted and infuriated Mother...her own child surpassed her...she did not take kindly.**  
  
And even when the actual blood of the Weylyn was conquered by another, by an Amber Wolf; if not already mated to an Amethyst then a Weylyn one would be offed to try and bond with the new Amber until a match was made. This kept the Weylyn in power while welcoming the new blood of the strongest of the strong to remain pack leader.  
  
**Aerona was granted a second name, the name of the Wolf Cub she was that would one day bear her fangs towards those that would try and cripple the Weylyn.**  
  
There was also the cause that most Weylyn births were of a female. So if the family was to be continued or remain in power, marriage, children, or relatives were a necessary thing. Intermarriage wasn't so far a thought, although pushed to the farthest limits. No direct blood, of course, no one from the direct Weylyn bloodline. Distant cousins, perhaps, or from the outside blood of those married within Weylyn.  
  
**Aerona's Cloud Flames were accepted and praised, never once was the Amber shade of her eyes noticed, nor how the burning heat of volatile Amytheyst soothed and called attraction.**  
  
Which...is how Aerona came to eventually meet one Eugene Conan Ferguson, beloved great-something-removed-nephew of her grandfather. And a true born Amber Hound.  
  
**It would take another Cloud to realize the Amber that was protected by the Amytheyst. The Amber that had been burned and damaged and would refuse the disgusting feel of Harmony...**  
  
_**Shattered things ** could recognize ** Broken things, Lies **could not fool ** Pretenders, **and ** Disguises **couldn't work on ** Masks...**_


	18. Interlude: Aerona and Oodako's Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Skull is helping Viper with the Varia he has been busy. When Reborn forces him to come help with something, he needs to leave Oodako with someone that will look after him. Of course, his first choice is his cute little student!

The Day That Never Happened.  
AKA: The Day Mafia Land will Never Speak Of.  
  
Aerona blinked slowly as she stared back at Oodako, who blinked back. "Are you sure, I can look after Oodako, Skull-Sama? I am afraid I have never looked after an octopus before." Aerona spoke slightly uncertain.  
  
Oodako was a very precious companion to her mentor, and Aerona would never harm something her Sempai cared so much about. Not to mention Oodako was adorably sweet and honestly, she couldn't even imagine harming the aquatic creature.  
  
Skull grinned happily from where he sat on Minion #16's shoulder. "The Great Skull-Sama knows he can trust his adorable little Cub with Oodako! There is no one Skull-Sama trusts more!" Skull declared happily.  
  
Aeron flinched her hands tightening on the Octopus for a moment. She could feel an odd warmth that was almost painful flood for her and could feel the slick icy chill of a cold sweat break out on her back and face. Sifting oddly in place she was never certain how to react towards her Sempai's absolute faith in her. It filled her with rage, pissing her off and an aching throbbing feel of uneven breathing that made her feel like she was suffocating. Her eyes were always stupidly hazy and burning with stupid liquid as well.  
  
What else could she possibly do but shut down and hide it all away, holding Oodako closer and with a tenderness she had been wary to show moments before. The Octopus seemed to be able to feel the shift in her emotions, as a gentle tentacle was soft to pat her head.  
  
Aerona bit her lip for a moment before blinking, her expression back to its bored counterpart. "If Skull-Sama believes so..." She muttered faintly. She would make sure to protect Oodako with her life! Nothing would ever happen to her Sempai's precious Familiar! "I shall follow your wishes."  
  
Skull grinned once more. "Great! The Great Skull-Sama knows that his Cub and Companion shall be just fine together! Look after one another, alright. I'm trusting you to protect each other!" He finished giving a stern look to both in turn and gaining twin nods. "Very, well! Now, the Great Skull-same has to go deal with Reborn-Sempai, as he said I had to come no matter what." Skull said with a flash of worry and concern in his eyes.  
  
Aerona couldn't stop herself from bristling at the thought of the Sun Arcobaleno, and Skull-Sama's so-called Sempai. She could feel her fur stand on edge, sharp and spiky as the feeling of threat attack kill filled her. Something she was glad to see copied by Oodako and the Minion carrying Skull-Sama today. If there was anyone that Aerona held a grudge against, it was the Arcobaleno. The hitman and the Soldier especially. Skull-Sama seemed to know this as he refused to let her get involved or even meet the other Arcobaleno.  
  
One day though....one day....  
  
"I shall return as soon as I can! The Great Skull-Sama shall miss you both greatly!"  
  
Aerona and Oodako both watched in sorrow as their Skull-Sama left them behind. All for the call of that stupid Hitman who couldn't appreciate their Skull-Sama. It was at this moment Oodako and Aerona formed their alliance.  
  
Their Skull-Sama was far too precious for this world. Too loving and sweet and caring and kind and forgiving... He was always being harmed by others, and he allowed them to get away with it. Worse he made excuses for them, they were playing or they didn't mean it....  
  
They would make sure to enact retribution for their Beloved Skull-Sama... No one used him, no one hurt him, and if anyone did...they would suffer their punishment.  
  
They didn't have a choice.  
  
Aerona and Oodako would be vengeance. And they would show no mercy...

* * *

It was well known that the Carcassa Family had a habit of attacking Mafia Land once a year, like clockwork. Just as well, it was known that the Cloud Arcobaleno Skull DeMort was the one that carried out the attack. It was also known that he was always defeated by Colonello.  
  
That was why what happened on the day of April 1st, has gone down in history as the Day That Never Happened!  
  
It was the day that Mafia Land was not only Invaded but Conquered. It was the day that Colonello was not only defeated but tortured and gained an odd twitch whenever he saw an Octopus and was prone to shooting when he heard someone laughing or singing. It was also the day that the Carcassa Famiglia finalized the paperwork with the Weylyn Clans.  
  
It began as a normal morning. The visitors were enjoying the Amusement park, Colonello was explaining once again the proper way to deal with Carcassa invasions which had already happened this year, there were trained Assasians slowly creeping up upon the island from the submarines that released them.  
  
What occurred next was the most confusing and forceful hostile takeover that had happened since D-Day. It was also the only takeover in history with no body count, leaving every prisoner alive.  
  
The trained assassins of Weylyn led by General Delvin of the Emerald Squad was covered in advanced Military battle suits, that were slim fitting and reinforced, with nano-technology that led them strong enough to deflect bullets and breathable enough to feel small changes in the air around them. Their helmets were tight, yet bulky enough with infrared vision and glowing green optic shades as eyes. They crept along the Island, calculating and making strategies as the Carcassa Combat Squad appeared on the Beachfront. Leather suited bodies armed to the teeth and ready to attack and maim.  
  
Colonello had taken one look at the ships that Carcassa had arrived on and cursed in annoyance and confusion. He knew Skull had already attacked and was with Reborn. Just what the hell was going on? Not to mention Skull's men had never carried weapons like that before since they and Skull prefered Hand to hand instead of weapons. Skull found them too violent, the damned idiot!  
  
Colonello was quick to leave his soldiers behind, determined to handle this and get it over with. He didn't know that as he left the stealth agents had appeared and taken down each and everyone one of his men. Swift syringes and knives laced with sedatives and paralyzing agents were quick work. From there the rest of Mafia Land's security was gathered up and then whisked away to be locked up on the submarine that had brought them over.  
  
When the panic began and visitors finally began their evacuations, it was to find out that the island was completely surrounded and everyone was hunted down one by one and removed from the situation. When Colonello finally realized that yes, the Carcassa Squads knew how to fire those guns and yes, they were seriously attacking him he was too late to realize the island was silent.  
  
When he finally fought his way through the Combat Squad, he didn't kill them Skull would whine and complain and that was just annoying, he thought for sure all of this madness would be over once he reached the Beachfront and whoever Skull had doing all this.  
  
He did not expect to find a teenage girl dressed in the adult Skull's biker Unifrom and looking almost exactly like him. From the long messy purple hair to glaring purple eyes, and even that damned purple make up the freak liked to wear, it was a female version of Skull glaring back at him.  
  
He also didn't expect the girl to suddenly be surrounded by Cloud flames. Hands and arms surrounded and formed into powerful and painful looking wolf-like claws, trailing along her body and forming flame ears at her head, and clawed feet, there was even a tail. He didn't expect those sharp grinning teeth that looked like fangs. He also didn't expect the giant Octopus that came crashing down on behind him from the ocean.  
  
Colonello later would later refuse to talk about what happened that day. He would refuse to talk about the female Skull that fought and clawed and bit like a damned rabid animal, with fucking flame weapons of all things! He would refuse to speak about the giant armoured Octopus that had enjoyed grabbing him and slamming him down like a rag doll. He never spoke about what happened when the female Skull had him all wrapped up in flame covered chains and wide toothy grin and a laughing Octopus shaking him above her. And he would never speak about the things that happened on that Submarine in that dark place....  
  
His soldiers would talk about the pleading screams and laughter that echoed on that Submarine. They would talk about the horrible sounds and crashes and bashes and what sounded like electrical tools whirling. The Visitors would jump and flinch for the rest of the year filled with nightmares of shadows and glowing green eyes.  
  
Everyone one would awaken back on the Island, shaken and terrified with the Carcassa and the soldiers gone as if nothing had ever happened. And according to the rest of the world, it never did... The alarms were never sounded, the Visitors continued, as usual, some even talking to family and friends about the fun they were having, the Carcassa Combat Squad never left their territory, all the damage never happened, there were no ships reported in the water, and sonar had never picked up a submarine, and there was no female Skull.  
  
It never fucking happened! No matter the nightmares that would consume the minds of everyone that had been at Mafia Land that day.  
  
Colonello didn't understand. He just...didn't understand. Lal thought he needed a vacation or had finally snapped, and forced him to leave Mafia Land in her hands for a few months. During which Lal Mirch closed down Mafia Land on the theory that some kind of hallucinate poison or plant had activated somehow. Nothing was found, but it was an easy excuse and allowed those that had been there to relax thinking it had all been some kind of dream.  
  
Colonello had no proof of what happened, and eventually, Lal convinced him it was a hallucination. It had all been some kind of dream. A horrible confusing dream. It still didn't stop him from twitching every time Skull popped up which made him angry or shooting when he heard loud laughter or singing, or flinching when he saw an Octopus or staring at Skull's chest in horror sometimes waiting for it to expand and purple flames to attack and hurt him again.  
  
....Colonello couldn't stop being terrified at the Nightmares of a female Skul with too sharp teeth and the same loud obnoxious laugh.


	19. Vindice: Black Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometime between Skye and Skull, there had been Subject. But not even Subject remained when everything was over. There was only They. They were broken and shattered and wasn't sure of anything, only that they won and were free, but not what that meant. 
> 
> It was the Monster's that came to Their rescue...

When Skull first met the Vindice the second time he still hadn't known who they were, what they were...much like the first time. All he had known was everything was surrounded by purple and red and destruction and loneliness and pain and despair and why, why, why, why?  
  
Skull...that was his name now, and wasn't it so strange to have an actual name? Not ~~Skye~~ , or ~~Anastasii~~ , or ~~Chernobog~~ , or ~~Subject~~ , or ~~Sky~~ , or ~~Cloud~~...he was Skull. He was Skull!  
  
And Skull...Skull had been happy, hadn't he? Yes, he was sure he had. He had found the circus, and they had cared, they had taught him. They had...they had been important, they had been family, they had....they were gone. They were gone and nothing was left but blood and organs and pieces and strange tall shapes staring back at him covered in bandages and shadows. Skull for some reason felt calm with them, safe...

* * *

_Everything hurt, everything was in pieces and hurt and ached with creaking bones and bruises and snow white painted crimson and shades of purple and blue. They really liked purple...blue could be annoying and hurt, almost like red, but purple...purple was a setting ache a constant throb they could rely_ _upon and be dependant on. It was already damaged it was already hurt and broken, and while it could hurt worse it already hurt,_ to _begin with so it was expected, right?_

_Purple was a nice colour..._

_Standing still they watched as the white snow floated down around them. It was pretty too, just like Purple. It was white and fluffy and soft, but it could also be dangerous and deadly... Should be... They had been standing in the snow too long, they knew they should feel more than they did, anything really...but everything was gone, gone, gone..._

_Did they even know how to feel anymore? What was feeling? What was anything? They couldn't feel, couldn't think... All they could feel was an echoing hollow void, a Void that had once been filled with soothing calm Orange, but that was a lie, a lie, a lie! And the taste of sunshine, of warmth honey, and trust and affection it was sour and burning and everything tasted like ashes, gritty and flaky and gummy all at once. A burning smoke that choked him and did it matter? Even if he choked he wouldn't die, could never die...._

_The snow was piling up, had been building up around for them for some time. Now it covered legs stained crimson, and blue and purple, hiding the tainted crimson tracks they had left behind, erasing them as if they had never been. Had they been? They were sure they had left a trail of crimson as they stumbled away, away, have to leave, have to run, free, free, free! Everything was being erased...only the white remained. Did that mean it would erase them as well? If they stood here and the white covered them, erased them... would they be gone too? Not dead, never dead, but forgotten, non-existing? What was existence?_

_"Cloud Active..."_

_They blinked slowly, turning towards something. It was a group? Towering beings covered in bandages and shadows, and they felt odd. They felt here, but gone, they felt...like they did almost.... They could feel their crimson, purple, blue covered head tilt as they stared back at the blank, empty figures before them. They knew where they were looking and it wasn't at them, never them... No, the beings were staring behind at the burning remains that had been **homeprisonjailtrappedhurtpaintorture**... _

_"You have executed the Butler Famiglia. Are you aware of your potential crimes?"_

_They blinked slowly at the figures before them, not looking back they would never look back, could never look back. Looking back only hurt, like Mama and Papa the doctor and the LIAR! It was silent as the figures continued to watch them and they continued to watch back._

_"Are you aware of the crime you have committed, do you have a defence for your actions?"_

_They didn't really understand the question. Crimes, crimes were bad? That's right, hurting killing and bad stuff...that was crimes. Everyone was a crime..._

_"What is your reasoning for releasing your Flames as you have, for attacking with them?"_

_They blinked again. Flames? That was right the pretty Purple Orange lie, lie, lie! "I...." They paused for a moment. Why had they used their flames, why had you allowed your flames to come and burn and destroy and kill and laugh, laugh, laugh, choking on saltwater and pain, pain, pain...._

_They blinked again before a smile crossed their face. "I copied....I was supposed to copy, they said so." The words were broken disconnected, and distant in a way that showed they weren't really there, where was here? "I only did what they did...am I in trouble because mine was more...I thought winning was good. I won, right? The winner is supposed to win...did I win wrong?"_

_The silence is deafening as it stretches, as one steps forward, one with a smaller one on their shoulder and that catches their attention for some reason. that one feels familiar, almost like they did, but different..._

_"You acted in defence, repeating what was done to you?" The question was asked slowly, as if to let them think of it, and oh how kind was that? They were letting them think, letting them chose their answer._

_The smile turned to a beaming grin at the one before him. There was nothing to fear, they could feel it... "Yes, I played the game that Master and Doctor and Liar always played. Master always said it was a game, and Doctor always said it was fun. It always hurt though, always, always, always, so I didn't think it was fun. But it was fun wasn't it? Winning meant no more pain, or yelling, or hurting, or screaming! everything is just quiet now. So winning means quite and I like quiet... Quiet doesn't hurt..." They trailed off with a distant longing expression. They wanted the quiet to come back, why was it fading, why was it going?_

_"Seems this one is quite broken..." The voice was high pitched and blank, but softer then the other deeper voice had been. They turned to look at the small form that was now being held out towards them. It's large bandage covered head tilted in thought. "We can not receive our answers like this. We also cannot exact punishment on one not aware, it would be pointless."_

_Punishment? Did that mean they really weren't supposed to win? Did they do bad by winning, but they had won right! That couldn't, it couldn't be pointless! It meant something, it meant something!_

_The little one tilted their head once more as they continued to watch them. There was a feeling curiosity, of interest that they could feel, like Master and Doctor, but it didn't sting and bite and pull and cling like theirs had. This was light and calm and soft...amused..._

_"How interesting..." The small one spoke with a tone that sparked but didn't burn. "Seems I have something new to piece back together..."_

_They could almost hear a smile on the little one's voice, could almost feel something soft, fond even from the other. Could feel how the others shifted, blank empty being filled with painful regret and longing and empathy almost like pity but not as heavy or cloying or oppressive.  
_

_The tall one stepped closer and suddenly there were chains, but pretty chains, chains that they could see could feel not invisible painful chains that lied and tricked. There were shadows and darkness and then suddenly there was the castle and the others and....everything was smoothed, was eased and flowed yet faded.  
_

_The fog that was destroying, tearing, killing, pulling, tearing was soothed. The jagged painful edges and shards were sewn back together, patched and taped and glued in pieces to hold. Black Flames were void and empty and yet soothing and trustworthy as they surrounded as they pulled their core, their shards back together. The flames anchored and attached them back to the centre, to the large glowing centre that pulsed and felt and cared and bled.  
_

_Black would cradle and protect that shard. Would remind him that that piece was theirs, it was important and belonged to only them. It was the one thing that no one could destroy, the one thing that was theirs, theirs, theirs.... To protect it and never let it go. They would remember those words, they would remember the care and time taken to fix and place everything back together.  
_

_And even when the memories faded and were moved aside as everything was back to working and functioning they would never forget those words. They would never forget the care and explanation at why that piece was so important, why it was theirs. Even when Black went to sleep and was lost in the Mist of his mind....he would remember..._

* * *

Skull did remember... He knew he had met these figures before, he knew they had fixed him once upon a time. Had helped lead him to what he was now. Had allowed him to make a choice, to choose where he went and what he did. That was why he didn't fear them. Even as they towered above him with chains and black flames, as purple burned all around him he wasn't afraid. These figures were justice, they were order and law and everything fair, even if fairness hurt.

Especially the small one. Skull trusted the small one more than anything. There was a hazy purr in his mind, a contentment at being near the little one. Black Flames that flickered in the patch work that was his soul, cooing and brushing against the one before him.

And Skull would do nothing more than smile at the Monsters of the Mafia. He had never feared the Vindice and never would. They would handle this, they would make the Flames stop burning and they would take away the ones that had slaughtered and killed his family. They would make sure they were punished and suffered. As he watched the Vindice comb over the remains of the Massacre, Skull remained with the small one held in his arms. He would watch as they rounded up the survivors, the ones he hadn't been able to find in his rage his hate... He watched them be dragged away in tight sharp chains, pleading and crying and screaming, much like his family had.

Skull simply smiled and made sure to thank the Vindice. Being gentle with the one in his arms and so, so happy that he wasn't alone...


	20. Arc I: Varia Valentine's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Varia argue over Valentine's day...and Skull ends it. Or makes it worse. Either way.

"All I'm saying is Valentine's day is unproductive and leaves our Squads distracted."  
  
"Oh, but Levi darling, don't you enjoy it at all? It's a day of love and affection where gentle sweet feelings are embraced and adored."  
  
"Shishishishi...The Prince would expect the peasants to lavish him with chocolates worthy of him."  
  
"VOOI! We don't need stupid squealing girls giggling and distracting the Squads! Their annoying and loud and get in the way!"  
  
"Oh, but darling it's not just girls. Why in several countries boys give chocolates as well, although usually not handmade. America is well known for both genders celebrating a day of love!"  
  
"Valentine's day is not a day of love. It actually celebrates a Saint from the 3rd Century that may or may not have been several individuals and not just one. There is so little known he may not have existed at all. If he did exist he was imprisoned, tortured, and martyred on February 14th. So we celebrate a day of death with love and chocolate. That will be 500, each."  
  
"Oh, dear but that would make it even more romantic would it not. Ahhh, replacing humanities cruel intentions with passionate ones and replacing blood with chocolate! How romantic!"  
  
"The Prince says you are a sick filthy pervert."  
  
"Oh, you! You can't deny you just want to eat chocolate!"  
  
"I will not celebrate some dead Saint and cause our Squads to slack off!"  
  
"VOOI! Where is that Cloud at! He hasn't completed any of the rounds he had today. I didn't think he was as useless as the others!"  
  
"That is more than enough Squalo! Our darling little Cloud has done more than is required of him. Why our Squad's have been absolutely lovely since he brought happiness and joy with him into this dreary castle. Your simply jealous that he can get them to work harder then you can."  
  
"VOOOOIIIII!"  
  
The sudden shuddering crash that shook the castle dragged the Varia Guardian's from their discussion. Blinking confused looks were thrown around as they continued on to the Main entrance to see what the noise had been.  
  
"If it is Vongola again, I shall charge them double this time..." Mammon hissed in annoyance. They had been extremely annoying since Skull started appearing with the Varia. Of course, they also covered up the Cloud Arcobaleno's presence with the paranoid experience that only obsessed power hungry morons could achieve...  
  
But the visits and check-ins had driven each of them crazy. More so since they were always trying to force Skull away, insulting the Varia or looking down on the Cloud for getting involved with them. Skull was already looked down on enough by most of the Mafia.  
  
And the Varia had grown quite protective of the unstable little ball of sunshine. They did not take kindly to Skull being mistreated unless it was by them. They also didn't like Vongola trying to sabotage the Cloud and what he had achieved in the Varia. Mammon especially had become quite vicious against those that looked on on the Cloud. They had even refused contact with the other Arcobaleno since Skull 'joined'.  
  
When the group reached the Main Entrance of the Castle though they were frozen in place. The entrance hall of the Varia Castle was filled with a mountain of chocolates and candies and stuffed animals of all kinds. They stood staring at it in blank shock not understanding just what has happened.  
  
"VOOII! Who broke into Headquarters with all this nonsense!"  
  
"Quiet." Viper said as they floated closer hearing a faint muffled voice coming from within the monstrous pile. A shift of the chocolates had a purple leather-clad hand sticking out and waving around frantically. "Skull..." Viper said with a sigh.  
  
"Oh, you poor darling!" Lussuria called as he moved forward and helped the toddler escape the mountain that trapped him. The rest still stood in horrified confusion as the Sun and Mist worked on freeing the Cloud.  
  
Skull was quick to grasp for air from Lussuria's arms once he was finally free, clutching onto the new feathers that had been added to the Uniform jacket he wore.  
  
"Skull....what is this?" Mammon questioned as they floated nearby, close to Skull to touch if need be, and glancing toward the mountain the other had been trapped within.  
  
Skull finished gulping for air and mourning the loss of her helmet within the mess. Turning to Viper he grinned happily. "The Great Skull-Sama's adoring fans always send Skull-Sama their tributes to his greatness for Valentine's day. Skull-Sama's Cub might have told his fans and Minions were he was so they could send his gifts here. Skull-Sama's Cub gets quite annoyed with all the useless and unworthy gifts and as such didn't care how they were delivered, and refused to do it. And so, when Skull-Sama opened the door this morning to get the mail, he was overpowered and the gifts collapsed." Skull explained, glancing towards the gift-filled Entrance Hall.  
  
Mammon was thoughtful for a moment as they counted and calculated the amount that would have cost to afford all these gifts. They were quite sure they saw actual chocolates from actual famous chocolatiers in there. Part of Mammon was dismayed on the waste of money on such things, the other part was impressed with the massive fortune in sweets and gifts Skull had.  
  
Lussuria was simply impressed and whistled happily as he took in the mountain. "Oh, darling you have such adoring and loving fans don't you?" He cooed happily, nuzzling the toddler who was showing his cute little face for once. "I'll just have to make sure my gift for you doesn't get lost in all that," Lussuria said thoughtfully, reaching up to lightly pull on the chain Skull wore. "I found a fetching Tungsten chain with Amethyst's and small Opal pieces, that you will absolutely love!" He declared happily.  
  
Skull looked up at Lussuria with wide eyes and a wide grin. "The Great Skull-Sama thanks Luss for his amazing gift and will cherish it always!" He declared happily. "Almost as much as Skull-Sama will love the gift his Cub got for him as well!"  
  
Mammon who had been silent as the two cheerful members of the Varia spoke, finally perked up in thought over what Skull's student possible got for him. Skull spoke about his Cub often but never gave any real information. What was known was that his Cub adored him and was used to buying lavish and ridiculous things for the Cloud.  
  
From updating his Helmet for some reason to having his Blimp repainted and refurbished, to buying out an entire motorcycle track because Skull was bored and missed the old days. There had also been the private concerts and food delivered directly from the most renowned Chef's in the world.  
  
What could his student possible have gotten Skull?  
  
Levi stared blankly at the sight before him in confusion. "Is that..." He muttered trailing off, Squalo beside him allowed his annoyance and confusion to take over.  
  
"VOI! Cloud why is there a life-sized chocolate sculpture of you holding a solid Diamond sculpture of your damned Octopus!"


	21. Interlude: Black Skies with Broken Clouds and Swarming Clouds Consuming Skies.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull thinks over the Varia and why he's here, and Aerona remembers when the Sky was eclipsed.

Skull liked the Varia.  
  
Don't get him wrong, he still hated the Mafia World and everything he had been forced to do and become, almost 40 years of regret and bitterness didn't fade that easily. However, the Varia was....different. Oh, they were all completely insane and crazy and belonged to the insane world perfectly. Lightning umbrella's, floating knives, metal knees, and sword arm replacements just....weren't normal...  
  
Still, Skill liked the group. When he allowed himself one of his more thoughtful moments, his most bitter and angsty when he wanted the world to fucking burn, he would think...that they were what the Arcobaleno should have been.  
  
What, in the deepest part of himself that he ignored, ignored, ignored, wished they had been.  
  
Even if Skull still didn't know Xanxus very well.  
  
Despite the trials and experiments they had gone through with the Frozen Sky Flames, he was still sealed away. Skull realized just how difficult copying a Flame-type was. Most Clouds found absorption to be difficult, well that was nothing about recreating a Flame. It led to Skull testing things on his own and experimenting, just what were his limits? He could copy one's Flames, could he control them, could he use them?  
  
Either way, Viper made sure to keep him replicating the Frozen Sky Flame shards a secret even from the rest of the Varia. It just wasn't normal, and yet Skull had never been a conventional Cloud or even used his Flames in normal ways... Replicating the other Elements was just...defininantly not normal.  
  
Still, despite not knowing Xanxus personally, Skull didn't think he would have much problem with the boy. To be honest he reminded him of his Cub when she was being lazy or difficult. The complaints Squalo had of his Boss ignoring his work and sleeping sounded extremely familiar.  
  
They were the same Aiden had about Aerona forcing her work on him and when Anrothan was hunting her down for her lessons and meetings. True Skull helped distract his Cub, but that was because he knew she couldn't handle the protective posessive care her 'unclaimed' Guardians had for her.  
  
His Cub was the very definition of a Cloud and they needed to stop thinking of her as a Sky.  
  
So Skull didn't think he would dislike Xanxus very much...but time would tell and Skull had long given up on humanity or people really. Which is why him actually liking the Varia was so...strange....  
  
True he hadn't thought about it much after his....after what happened....after he saw....  
  
Meeting Xanxus had thrown his mind into chaos and had brought back some memories he had been sure were locked away. Guarded by the Black Flames that helped soothe and calm his mind, always there to make sure the Mist damage didn't sweep back in and consume him again.  
  
Lussuria had yet to tell Viper about the Mist Flames that had been latched onto Skull soul like a leech, breaking and shifting and keeping reality from beyond his reach and trapping him in an insanity that couldn't even let him think properly.  
  
Skull was thankful for that. Skull had always been wary around the Mist from the beginning, but Viper had never been anything but decent towards him. It had taken over 20 years, but Skull could say he felt safe around the Mist now and didn't mind their company. Although Mist Flames still made him twitch and jerk, Viper didn't ask and simply made sure not to use them on him.  
  
When those memories had broken from the barrier of Black Flames, those Mist Flames had leapt forward for a chance to consume him again. They had shut him down while the Black Flames fought back and trapped them once more, and his own Flames sought to repair the damage.  
  
Skull...didn't remember a good bit of his past. He was aware of it,  could speak of things that had happened in a detached way. However, he couldn't really feel it or remember clearly or even understand the things he knew or said.  
  
He knew the Black Flames kept things locked away and distant, without erasing them completely. Skull didn't want to be a blank slate to be filled in as the Mist Flames tried to do. That was their goal, to turn him into a puppet again. If that meant he had to keep his memories, no matter how much he wished he didn't, then so be it.  
  
He was done being controlled...  
  
He might be trapped as he is now, but at least he wasn't a puppet on strings again, eager and happy to please his master no matter what....  
  
Skull's eyes dimmed for a moment as the thoughts were washed away, declared harmful by Black Flames.  
  
Skull...really hated Checkerface at this time. Skull knew this was all his fault! It was all Checkerface's fault because Skull couldn't feel his anger anymore.  
  
Skull's anger and disgust in humanity are things that had kept him going, they kept him safe. The Black Flames had always strengthened his hate, feeding it and backing it up. If he hated and distrusted and was disgusted with everything, then he couldn't feel, couldn't fall for it, couldn't be tricked....  
  
Why the fuck had he gone to that damned meeting!? More importantly, why had he remained?!  
  
Skull knew it had been the thrill of a new game, he had been bored and wanted something new, something exciting... Skull also knew that the Atmosphere had been screaming at him from the beginning, he knew that his instincts had been telling him this was a game he couldn't play and to run.  
  
Skull had never ignored his instincts, so why had he when it came to those mother fuckers?  
  
Why had his mind been so consumed with winning that he had ignored his own self-interest? That hadn't happened since...since the Monster's had saved and fixed and put him back together and let him actually think for himself again!  
  
Skull could only wonder because Checkerface wasn't here to ask, and that traitor Luce would never explain. Just gained a distant expression and say everything was fine. Nothing was fine, it had never been! Luce had been so consumed by what she could see of the damned future, she rejected the damned present and had destroyed everything!  
  
And now he was trapped in this Game. Oh, he was determined to win it and would make sure he did! But still, this was a Game he should have run from, should have ignored. Strength and Glory and Fame were useless to Skull. He had never fallen prey to the lies as the others had. Sure they all had their reasons, but they had been fucking stupid to let their greed and hunger for power take control as they had.  
  
Why hadn't he run?  
  
Skull would eventually push the thought aside, it was useless to spin his mind in circles after something that couldn't be found.  
  
Instead, he would focus on what he could in the Game. The new Team Building he was in the middle of.  
  
He would learn a bit from Lussuria about his fighting style, Skull was no master, but he was always interested in new styles. He would be Lussuria's dress up doll and wear the outfits the other made for him. He would listen to him as he rambles on about whoever he found fetching at the moment and would let the man cuddle him in moments of distress.  
  
He would help Levi and try to cheer him up when he was stressed and needed to relax. He would be there and ramble on about a new book series that sounded fun and talk about things Xanxus might appreciate he learn while he was sleeping. Levi was easy to figure out to serious and too obsessed with his Boss, simple and easy.  
  
He would help Squalo scare and threaten anyone that messed with the Varia and make sure things went smoothly while they were all on missions. He would be there to help sew together any wounds he wouldn't go to Lussuria about because he wasn't a fucking pansy and didn't need that damned Okama to be whining and scolding him over scratched damn it!  
  
He would make Strawberry Milk with Viper and talk about his newest gifts and things he could get out of Aerona. He would let Viper help him with his investments and talk about what the other's of their Element had been up too. Colonello seemed to be snapping from the pressure of being a toddler lately. Staring at Skull as if he expected him to transform into some kind of monster.  
  
He would play with Belphegor and teach him how to throw daggers and knives like he did in the circus. Belphegor hadn't been able to hide the impressed grin when Skull had shown him what he knew, immediately demanding for Skull to teach the Prince all the cool tricks and flips he knew. The Prince also pouted when Skull beat him at darts. Skull was easily the Prince's second favourite after Mammy.  
  
Skull might not remember why he had gone along with this...why he allowed himself to be trapped, but at least something interesting came from it. He had an adorable cub that was growing up way too fast and a group of people he could stand to be around without feeling his skin crawl.  
  
He supposed it could all be much, much worse...  
  
He still hated the damned Mafia though...

* * *

Aerona had never been an...emotional person. Some would argue the whole Nature Vs Nurture could have brought about this effect, but Aerona questioned if perhaps she was just born broken. The human mind doesn't truly start making memories until the age of three, sure there might be vague recollections before that, smells, colours, sounds, feelings... However, the human brain doesn't actually start retaining and memorizing facts until the age of three.  
  
Aerona's earliest memories were lacking in the emotion section.  Or rather was focused on very few emotions. Crushing painful Loneliness that was chilling and cold, aching Sorrow that made it hard to breathe, an echoing Sadness that was shuddering and consuming, more than anything...there had been Rage. There had always been a boiling bubbling Rage that filled her with Hatred and Disgust and the need to watch the world burn...  
  
Aerona had always been aware of specific things from her earliest memories. One, that her mother would never be proud of her, or interested in her, or ever, ever love her. Outside of showing her off in annoying dresses and uncomfortable costumes, her mother's actions were of scorn and hatred. Having her interest was never a good thing, and something she would learn to avoid as she grew older. Her mother's attention was burning and painful and cruel and... Aerona tried her best to avoid her mother, and when she couldn't...she learned to handle whatever happened.  
  
Another was that her father's interest in her was weak and shallow and nothing to do with her as a person. He was a Warrior a Soldier and he valued strength above any and everything else. So training her, telling her war stories and history of battles and struggles and giving one's life for the cause, and treating her like his little toy soldier was his limit. Treating her as a child, as his daughter, or forbid even a girl was meaningless and not something he cared much for.  
  
Her Grandfather...was a shrewd, and twitchy paranoid man. He was power hungry and obsessed with the Clans. Traditions and old notions that had been long lost eras, ago. However, the one thing he was not was sexist. To him women and men weren't very different, in fact, he found women much more bloodthirsty and strong. Stating they had natural higher pain tolerances, even if their bodies were inherently weaker. He was cruel and harsh, but he was always fair. He just didn't see people as people, more as assets or tools. Things to strengthen the Clan. His love lay with History and Traditions and the Ancient ways of the Ancestors.  
  
Grandmother...Grandmother was prideful and posessive. She was violent and bloodthirsty and would kill someone for even looking at her and her own the wrong way. She was loud and blunt and a complete badass.  She was...different with Aerona. Grandmother had always been extremely fond of Aerona, protective almost in a possessive way. She had taught Aerona that you could only count on yourself, that the only one that would truly be there for you, care for you was yourself. She taught her that the world was cruel and that no one would do her any favours. She taught her how to be strong, how to not care what others thought...  
  
Her death ruined that...  
  
Aerona for all that she was strong, that she was brave, for all that she was independant....was still just a child when her Grandmother died. Along with that went her Grandmother's protection. Her Grandmother had been protective of her little Cub, she looked after her, made sure she was cared for, was there when Aerona was left for days on her own because her parents couldn't be bothered with her.  
  
Aerona had always been a loner, preferring her own company or the few people she 'liked' to groups or people. She didn't like people, didn't have a need for them. They were loud and stupid and annoying. It might have been growing up in a large empty house with nothing but the company of books, her father's weapon collection, and the few servants that were too cold and formal. These things probably helped Aerona seek solitude, it was comforting and familiar and didn't make her twitch and hurt like being around others did.  
  
With her Grandmother's death though...she was suddenly completely alone... And while this was fine, and it was okay, and she didn't need anyone, really... She was still small and had a hard time taking care of herself. The pots and pans were heavy and cooking was dangerous and when the servants remembered to check in on her they would give reports to her mother on how messy and clumsy she was.  
  
She wasn't clumsy though, just too small for her age and too meek. Rolling over and letting others step all over her, because she just didn't care anymore. She didn't care and she didn't try... Mother would never stop, scolding and punishing and hurting her, and father would never stop expecting her to be smarter and stronger and better then she was. So why should she care? She didn't care...  
  
But there was a difference between not caring and giving up, and Aerona had long given up.  
  
The Orange Flames that had been so warm, that had soothed and protected her even in her loneliness and misery were fading and flickering. With every rejection and insult and hurt...they curled deeper and deeper into herself, no longer reaching out, no longer attempting, instead they recoiled at the thought. It came to where she couldn't even think of those flames anymore, they were cold now and scared, trembling and distrusting and lonely.  
  
Eventually...everything just became cold.  
  
Until Eugene showed up...until his Orange Flames had reached out, had touched, had pressed...  
  
Aerona could feel her own Orange Flames shrieking, pulling back, running, scared, frightened, don't touch, don't touch, don't touch!  
  
And that Rage that had been boiling and coiling inside her for so long was suddenly ripping through her. Everything was bathed in the bright glow of Purple, and Rage, and Anger, and Tear, Rip, Shred, Destroy, and Hatred, Hatred, Hatred, Hatred! She hated him, she hated her parents, she hated her family, she hated everything and everyone! She wanted it to burn, burn, burn!  
  
Aerona just fucking hated everything, she especially hated those stupid fucking Orange Flames more than anything!


	22. The Mission with Reborn. Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn called his Lackey out for a Mission. This led to an alliance between Oodako and Aerona. However, it also led to some...odd events that happened between the Cloud and Sun. What was supposed to be a humiliating event for the Cloud led to the Sun feeling lost and questioning reality...

Skull didn't like doing what Reborn told him to, but he was also aware that it would be a lot less annoying and painful if he just went along with the Chaos Servant. Since the curse, Reborn had....mellowed. Being trapped in an Infants body had definitely tempered his more violent tendencies to be more controlled, his anger had definitely cooled. However, that was also the really dangerous part.   
  
Before Reborn had been violent or angry because he was well angry or annoyed. Now though, now Reborn was violent because he was bored or feeling playful. Instead of needing a reason to attack someone he did it because there was an opening and because it was amusing.   
  
Reborn had definitely become far more...playful and mischievous since the curse had affected him. It seemed they all had been affected to some degree, some more so than others. Skull simply thought it was Reborn embracing the fact that he could get away with childish things now that he was a child. Skull could understand it, as it was something he did himself.   
  
Skull didn't know much about Reborn's past, no one did really, but he had a feeling the Hitman had never had an actual Childhood. Grew up too fast, matured too fast, was too angry at the world, and found people annoying disgusting wastes of time unless they proved themselves.  
  
Skull...tried not to see the similarities that were between the two of them. He really did.   
  
Either way, Reborn while still Reborn, had definitely changed since they separated. Oh, don't get Skull wrong... Reborn still treated him like shit, still berated and abused him in any way he possibly could, still used him as a test subject and a meat shield, still used him in any way he could **period**... But there was something calmer...oddly strange and playful about it now. There wasn't the pure malicious hatred and disgust that used to radiate from the man anymore. It was more a careless disinterest and spike of schadenfreude than anything else now.   
  
Skull wasn't sure which he prefered. Reborn's absolute hatred or his amused disinterest. Both were dangerous for one's health, but at least Hatred was something real and tangible. At least Reborn's hatred had helped feed and grow his own. The fact that Reborn had gotten over it and moved on when he hadn't...  
  
Yea, perhaps Skull was being petty, but he hated that Reborn's character had evolved more then his own had. It wasn't fair!  
  
Regardless....Skull once again found himself running to Reborn's summons. He didn't want the man hunting him. He didn't want him finding out about the Varia, or his cub, or anything else that made him feel anything good anymore. He couldn't handle it if that man destroyed his peace, his happiness. And the asshole would. So off to Reborn he went.   
  
He fucking hated this man so much...  
  
"You want the Great Skull-Sama to what?" Skull shouted in disbelief and horror. Most of the reaction was his Character at play of course, but the rest was just trying to understand why the man wanted him to suffer so much.   
  
"You heard me Lackey, and I don't like repeating myself." The Fedora wearing Toddler spoke with a smile on that cute face, and an intimidating gleam in his eye.   
  
Skull himself wanted nothing more than to laugh at this small little man. Puny and Petty and ready to inflict suffering on everyone and anyone he could. There was nothing, **nothing** the Hitman could do that would scare him, _**nothing**_. His Character though...  
   
His Character could still remember painful Chaos Shots and burning Sun Flames that could destroy as easily as they should heal. His Character would always have a healthy fear and respect of his Sempai. It would probably never truly fade. So while Skull wanted to laugh his Character instead whimpered and flinched away from the gleam in those eyes.   
  
"But Reborn-Sempai! The Great Skull-Sama isn't a girl, so how is he supposed to give his amazing help, if he can't do anything about it?" Skull asked, obviously trying to ignore the obvious. There was no way Reborn would be okay with something like this, right? The man was too prideful, too arrogant, too full of himself too-  
  
"That is why you need to act, Lackey. It's very simple, I need this information and the only way into the Prestigious Young Ladies School of Dignity and Poise is to be a girl." Reborn states almost cheerfully, with that frightening gleam glowing in his eyes.   
  
Skull knows he's laughing at him.   
  
"They have a welcoming week for very young girls to come and see what the school is like. Luckily we Arcobaleno can pass as very small toddlers so it can be used in this case. It will be easy for us to slip in." Reborn explained factually, the fact that he was cleaning that pile of guns he had, kept Skull from trying to wring the assholes neck.   
  
"Don't worry, I know not to expect you to have any idea on how to do things right Lackey, so I've already made the preparations," Reborn said with that stupid smile as the gun snapped back together loudly, causing his Character to flinch.   
  
Skull obviously knew the reasons why they would have to do this, why they could get away with it. But seriously?! Dressing up as little girls? This was...what the hell had happened to the arrogant asshole that had been disgusted that he was a Civilian and that thought girls were weak, that Ladies should be looked after and taken care of.  
  
Lal had been an exception and even Luce had had to deal with the man's slightly protective tendencies as he thought she was...delicate... Not mentally no, Reborn had respected her as the head of her Famiglia he knew she had no hesitation to killing or the others aspects of the Mafia world, but physically he had always made the others do things for the Lady of the group. Skull was usually the one forced.   
  
He would have never allowed himself to be degraded in such a way! Something wasn't right...Skull had a feeling that this wasn't going to go at all like Reborn was saying it would.

* * *

He knew he would be right... Of course, Skull was going to be the only one actually dressed like a girl...  
  
Skull had no problem dressing as a girl, he would not deny it. Skull had spent a large time of his childhood confused as to just what was different between a boy and girl, and which one he was. He had also spent most of his time dressed up and treated as a precious princess when he wasn't being abused and beaten on.   
  
So dressing as a girl...not a big deal. Despite the fact that Skull was now aware he was male, at times made sure to declare that HE was the Great and Amazing Skull-Sama, there would always be a part of him that was Skye. He couldn't erase that part, didn't want to, because although being Skye had always felt a bit strange; Skye had been safe and cared after....maybe even l-  
  
Anyway, Skull didn't truly care all that much for genders or appearances or all that nonsense people took so seriously. The point was his Character was a male, that was how he designed him and that was what he was. Skull himself was just fine with being whatever he wanted to be at the moment. Although being trapped as his Character for so long had definitely put a stop to that for some time.   
  
It was why he liked Lussuria so well. The other didn't care about what anyone thought and was just himself. That was something Skull could understand and respect and if Skull could be Skull and not his character he was sure he and Lussuria would understand one another more then anyone.   
  
Regardless, Skull was simply Skull no matter what he looked or acted like. So he was fine being a girl, or even Skye...  
  
But he had limits and style damn it!  
  
Skull stood in front of the smirking Sun Arcobaleno, trying to avoid looking into his damned face, but unable to look at the damned outfit that had been chosen for him. Skull could feel the embarrassed blush settle over his face as his hands tightened in the-the-the- frilly puffy skirt of this ridiculous Lolita dress from hell that he had been shoved in! And Pink!   
  
Skull had no problems with the colour and if someone liked it, well good for them. Indeed certain shades went perfectly with his hair and eyes Lussaria was always quick to claim. So yes, he could deal with certain shades, even if it wasn't his prefered colour. However, this...light pastel baby pink was not one he was fond of.   
  
The dress itself was a Lolita's nightmare and made him wonder just how fucking twisted it was in Reborn's head for him to think about this, let alone pick it for Skull. And seriously what the fuck, Reborn!  
  
Skull felt like he was going to cry...  
  
Growing his hair had been a simple thing, adding his Cloud Flames natural habit of changing anything about himself he wanted, Reborn's Sun Flames had definitely sped the process along. Skull could feel the interested but vicious amusement from the other when they had tried that. Not that it embarrassed Skull at all, not like Reborn obviously thought it had.   
  
It had been a long time since Skull had long hair. His last memories had it dyed and sticky with crimson and tacky brown, how easily it had been used as a leash to pull and guide and force him into place and where he needed to go, of how painful it pulled with sores and scabs and it had been painful to touch at all.   
  
There had been a reason Skull kept his hair so short. The memories were vague and gone now, but the phantom feel and pain never really left him. Having Reborn's hand anywhere near his neck had been terrifying alone. Feeling his hand on Skull's longer, **easier to pull rip guide force shove** , hair had almost caused him to black out in fear induced panic.   
  
He would let Reborn continue thinking he had been horrified by how much he looked like a girl with long hair, there was no way he would tell him the truth. However...  
  
The goddamned pigtails were going too far!


	23. The Mission with Reborn Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull briefly wonders if he's losing himself and wonders about Reborn. Maybe he's snapping too?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter isn't very exciting, but I'll admit i'm a bit stuck at the moment.

How is this his life?  
  
.....  
  
And when did Reborn get into Cosplay!?  
  
Skull couldn't help but wonder about this. Reborn was a hitman, greatest or whatever, so he knew how to disguise himself properly. This...this was not properly! This was nothing more then a form of Cosplay and Skull knew the difference! There was a big difference between Cosplay and Disguise...  
  
This...fluffy nonsense was not a Disguise....nor was that stupid costume Reborn was wearing as his Elder Grandfather....How was anyone even falling for this?!  
  
It was only his Character's natural meekness around the Sun Arcobaleno that kept him from reacting or twitching violently like he wanted to. The longer this game went on, the more he was beginning to wonder if he was going insane. Had he been trapped as this Obnoxious Whiny Character for so long that reality was starting to fade.  
  
Skull could vaguely remember his time before the curse, he could remember meeting Checkface at that Stunt performance. He could remember the ball of rage and hate and disgust he had been, only finding joy in making others, his fans, happy.  
  
That part seemed so far away...even from the real Skull...  
  
Was it possible that while his Character was evolving, that Skull himself was as well? And just what was he evolving into? Who would he be at the end, when the Game ended and the Victor was called. Would he even be him anymore?  
  
Or would that part fade away like all the others before it had?  
  
Skull allowed himself a slight moment to mourn the possible loss of yet another version of him, allowing his Character to reflect in a pouty put upon visage.  
  
"Of course, little Iris will make a fine addition to our School." The distinguished woman cooed as she crouched gently before the small figure.  
  
Skull glanced up shyly beneath long eyelashes, at the woman gaining a small coo and smile from the other. Skull made sure to reach back and grab onto Reborn's hand with a vice-like grip. If he was going to deal with this he would make sure the other couldn't just slip away. Besides, Skull was an Actor...he knew how to play his parts and oh!~ Wasn't Reborn going to be surprised at just well he could play his part?  
  
It's easy to switch, because honestly why hadn't Skull thought of this before? Perhaps he had been trapped playing his Character for too long... But still, nothing ever said that his Character couldn't have a Character of their own right?  
  
That's why it was simple to switch control to change who he was, there were traces of his Character, of course, weakness and shyness and the natural clumsiness, but hey, in this case, they were enhancements.  
  
That's why when he looked back up at the woman Iris, or Skye smiled sweetly back with a small giggle. A slip of his ankle gave way to a cute little curtsy that had the woman cooing and Reborn's hand twitching violently. "My name is Iris and I am very pleased to meet you Ms."  
  
Skull wasn't sure just why Reborn had planned this mission. If there even was a mission and this hadn't been some plot to just dress up and try to embarrass Skull. Which it probably had been, however... Skull would admit Reborn never did something without benefit. And yes, embarrassing Skull would be worth it, but that would be an added bonus, not the reason.  
  
Not that Reborn would be getting that today.

* * *

Skull had been quick to charm the staff as they walked through the large School on the tour they had been invited on. It leads to cooing pats on the head, offered hard candies from the older members, stickers from some of the more stern members, and cookies from those that had worked in the kitchens. As Skull had continued amassing his gifts, Reborn had grown more twitchy and his smile larger.  
  
Skull wasn't sure what was going on in the Sun's mind, but he was sure Reborn was thinking of advantages he could use this as...and probably planning to punish Skull for being a so-called liar as he would say. He also was probably thinking that Skull was purposely making a fool of him... Either way, if Skull didn't escape the Hitman before this mission was over, he would probably be in for a world of hurt soon.  
  
Just because he doesn't tell Reborn everything or reveal all of his abilities, the Sun had a habit of accusing him a Liar when he found them out and then punishing them. Reborn was the meaning of Control Freak, and that extended to his fellow Elements.  
  
If he didn't know anything he found it an insult, a personal one and acted as if they had done so against him purposely. It was like Reborn wanted everyone's life story and wanted to know every little thing they knew or did.  
  
Which was ridiculous since the past was one thing the Arcobaleno had all agreed not to touch on.  
  
The only exception being Viper, and that was accepted since that information could only be bought if an Arcobaleno gave permission. So why Reborn thought he had any right to be annoyed when he didn't know something, Skull had never truly understood.  
  
Then again Skull had never been a Control Freak or even been able to handle being in control at all. It was probably why he had such a hard time accepting his Minions and Cult in the beginning. Skull did not like being in Control, not at all. It was dangerous and more trouble then it was worth. The only thing Skull wanted to be in Control of was his freedom...  
  
One day....  
  
So Skull allowed himself to bask in the mixture of Annoyance, Amusement, Displeasure, Punishment that he could feel from his 'Grandfather'. It wasn't very often he could surprise Reborn. Not only was it a nearly impossible thing to do, but Reborn knew the Character so well it was...honestly a bit strange when Skull thought about it.  
  
Reborn could predict what his Character would do before he did it, and that always made Skull feel a bit off.  
  
Had he honestly been so arrogant at the beginning of this game that he hadn't even noticed the Sun studying and memorizing his Character? Or was it that he simply hadn't cared?  
  
Skull, had obviously been too distracted by doing the same, but he hadn't cared to look beneath the surface of what they presented. Reborn it seemed had, or had at least tried. He had probably seen through Skull's Character and everything he was, but he hadn't seen beneath that.  
  
Skull pushed the thoughts away. There was no point being trapped in his mind right now going around in circles and circles. Instead, he just smiled brightly and looked around the school in a childlike manner of wonder.  
  
It had been a long time since he was anyone but his Character, it had been a long time since he had been allowed to play. He supposed he could just deal with Reborn seeing this much. Being an Actor was still a skill of his Character, so he could deal with the punishment to come.  
  
The woman before them clapped her hands happily once the tour ended. "Now, for the week the children are here, we are going to have a bit of a sleepover." The woman explained brightly, happily.  
  
"We have one of our Dorm Suites all set up so the girls can spend time with one another. This way they shouldn't feel so alone when their Guardian's aren't here. Of course." The woman paused smiling at Reborn. "Guardian's are invited to stay the first night, to help their girls get comfortable in the new environment."  
  
Reborn nodded, giving a polite, yet tired smile fitting his role. "Ah, what a wonderful suggestion. I wouldn't want my Granddaughter to feel scared."  
  
Skull almost twitched because he could hear the threat in that voice. Looking down shyly Skull pushed his foot into the ground. "Yea... I...I don't think I'll like being all alone with kids I don't know..." He muttered with a tone of fright.  
  
Another cooing response had the woman bowing before him with a soft smile. "Don't worry you won't be alone. I'm sure the other girls will be just lovely. And your Grandfather will be here the first night, so you'll be just fine. He'll be sure to protect you." She promised.  
  
Skull almost broke character to laugh hysterically at those words.


	24. The Mission With Reborn. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull gets Vengence and the Mission comes to a close.

"You're so cute!"

"Oh, your hair is so pretty!"

"Where did you get your dress, you look like a princess?"

"Oh, I want purple eyes too! Papa, please they look so cool!"

Skull could faintly see the way Reborn was twitching as Skull stood surrounded by a sea of toddlers cooing and calling him pretty. He wasn't sure just what was affecting the man the most, the fact that they kept calling him pretty or that he was instantly so popular.

Hmmm.... Skull had a feeling it was both. His Character had that habit of causing others to love him....or hate him. Unfortunately for the Arcobaleno, the only one that had been charmed by him was Luce, and to an extent Fon. The other's had hated him on sight.

In Reborn's mind, Skull was merely a Lackey, and errand boy a liability... There was no way anyone would actually seek out his presence, would actually like him. And there was definitely no one that would call Skull pretty. Reborn wasn't as vocal as Colonello at calling him a freak, but he made sure Skull knew he found his appearance ridiculous.

Or maybe he was just twitching because he wasn't the one being cooed after? To be honest, Skull could guess and theorize all he liked, but he would never have any clue as to what went on in the Sun's head. For all, he knew Reborn could adore the attention his younger form gained and could be quite angry and jealous that he wasn't the centre of attention.

Although he seemed to twitch the hardest with every pretty comment that was called. Reborn was so weird.

I'll just enjoy the fact that he's being tortured by this somehow...

* * *

"And that's why I think Red Spider Lillies are the bestest flowers ever! They keep away icky things like mice and rats and I know people use them when others go away forever, but I think it's nice to use them to remember people instead." Skull spoke quite happily yet sternly to the group of girls that were nodding along with him and awed by how deep he could think. "And since people think they are bad luck that means no one steals them!"

"Wow, that's really smart! That dumb boy keeps stealing flowers out of Mama's Garden....maybe if we have those he will be too scared..."

"Yea, Curse Flowers! Then when boys take them, they will get cursed!"

Skull nodded rapidly keeping his bright smile on his face. Reborn had vanished while he and the other girls were getting to know one another. Most likely to look for whatever he needed. Most of the parents had trailed off or were in groups, leaving Skull and the others gathered in the centre of the Garden.

"You know what else is good for keeping stupid boys away?" Skull leaned down to whisper to his 'friends', gaining their undivided attention.

"Boys are really scared of girls that are stronger than them....that and blood and crying. They act all brave and tough, but if you get hurt and start bleeding they run away. The same if you start crying."

Skull watched as the girls looked at one another with wide-eyed expression before a sly smile crosses his face. "I know how to make fake blood...and also...you can use fake heavy things to scare them....and sharp things too....Boys really don't like sewing needles. I also know how to make myself cry too..." Skull whispered as the girls all leaned closer.

These poor little things. All dressed up like dolls and expected to become prim ladies to be married off before they even lived. Skull would have to make sure he fixed that!

* * *

 

The morning that the parents left the School wasn't as sad as they had feared it was. Indeed it seemed little Iris had become quite popular and the other girls were excited to hang out and play with her. The little sweetheart had been darling when she met her friend's parents, gaining their trust and looking after their little darlings.

Oh, how they would regret that....

Reborn it would seem was rather eager to leave once it was time. His twitching had become permanent, leaving the parents to worry that he might be having a mini-stroke. It didn't help that he couldn't find the files he had been looking for, as he had hissed at Skull when he returned.

That left Skull the responsibility of finding it instead. And Reborn had been very serious about killing him if he failed. Good thing Skull had already made his own plans when Reborn first told him about this mission.

He would make sure Reborn got his stupid info...and help the little girls before he left. No one should be raised to only care about their status, and blood, and money, and how many babies they could have.

But Skull couldn't leave Reborn unpunished either...

That was why when the parents were giving their goodbyes, Skull stood before Reborn nervously pulling at the skirt of his second dress and shifting in place cutely.

Reborn's smile twitched once more. "Is something wrong Iris? You know I have to leave now...so you need to tell me if something is wrong... Now."

Sniffling, Skull's shoulder shook, before he finally looked up. His face was flushed as tears fell down soft chubby cheeks and his eyes sparkled. Reborn was frozen stiff, causing Skull to cackle in his mind. His body, however, continued with its game.

Jumping forward Skull wrapped himself around his 'Grandfather' before he unfroze and started wailing pitifully. "I don't want you to go, grandpa! I'll be all alone! Who will-will....read me my bedtime stories, or rub my back when I have nightmares, or sneak me milk with honey when I can't sleep, or...or...or tell me they love me whenever I'm sad? I-I-I don't want you to go, Grandpa, I love you!" Skull wailed, loudly, still retaining his girlish pitch. "Don't you...Don't you love me too?!"

The parents around gave soft sounds of understanding and sorrow filled expression for the old man and his Granddaughter. It was obvious the old man didn't know how to handle the terrified girl, obvious in the panic and fear and horror on his face. The poor old man seemed to be going into shock as he his hands twitched and his body shuddered.

It was when the kind Lady that was in charge came over and gently extracted the girl from the old man that the situation was resolved, explaining gently that he would be back at the end of the week.

The miserable girl had nodded sadly and seemed to cheer up when the other girls surrounded her in comfort. She had run off with them, but not before giving a final goodbye to her Grandfather.

Iris's Grandfather was escorted out with some help from the closest couple. He had seemed to turn to stone after his Granddaughter gave him a kiss goodbye. He must truly be lost without the small girl, the same as she.

* * *

 

Skull hummed happily, as he skipped along the garden steps and up into the Library. His friends had left him alone after he asked for some time to himself. That gave him just enough time to find what he was looking for. Walking around the library he hummed happily, as he looked at the top of the bookcases. It should be...AH!

"Oh, cub!~ You're Amazing Skull-Sama has found you!~" Skull declared happily.

A low groan was heard as a head slowly peeked over the top of the bookcase. Hazy eyes peering at him boredly before a loud yawn was heard. Another groan followed that before his Cub was suddenly landing crouched before him.

"Do you have even the slightest idea how hard and annoying it is to walk with perfect posture..." Aerona grumbled in annoyance. "You owe me so much, Skull-Sama..."

Skull could only beam at his Cub. She was getting better at speaking informally! He was so proud of her! "Ah, Skull-Sama apologized for making you suffer Cub, but even I need help." He said reaching out to pat her head. Momentarily amazed at the pretty red curls that her normally loose or messy locks were in.

Aerona huffed lightly. "I will always assist you Skull-Sama.... Anrothan thought this would be a marvellous chance for me to learn, Ervin thought I should take this time to learn some Ladylike manners, and Aiden thought I could use some more discipline." Aerona spoke with a hint of annoyance in her tone. "The Traitors..." She muttered.

Skull laughed happily and pat her head gently again. "Now, now... They only want the best for you Cub. They are your Predators."

Aerona couldn't withhold her snort. "They are annoying Beta's at most, not far above prey..."

Skull merely hummed and shifted on his feet slightly. "Did you have a hard time getting in?" he questioned.

Aerona huffed lightly, before finally standing from her crouch. "No, Weylyn are nobility outside of the Den. It was simple to transfer here for a temporary probation period. I just have to stay a few months for the allotted transfer period." She spoke with a sigh.

Skull nodded and clapped his hands happily. "Then you can help Skull-Sama complete his mission and find what he needs!" he declares happily.

Aerona allows her lips to twitch slightly in a smile. "Of course, Skull-Sama. Whatever you wish..."

Skull finished up his week at the School, he and his Cub finding the information Reborn had been looking for and more.

It would seem the Prestigious School was stealing funds and running schemes against Families of Nobility. Not only were their teachers and professors unqualified, they also didn't teach the girls anything that a normal school wouldn't. They were ripping off every one of the families for millions.

Their so-called Heritage was a shame, and indeed it seemed the school was also a cover for members from the more...undesirable Famiglia's to target and locate future wives. Marriage contracts being set up upon Graduation, and helped by the Prestigious School's Head Mistress at choosing appropriate Husbands.

Skull was sure that the information was delivered directly to the Hitman. Yes, Skull was hiding from him. Not even he knew what Punishment Reborn would give for his stunt. And he might be a coward, but he could accept that to a Chaos Shot.

Aerona however, kept the information about the connection to the Black Market the School had. It seems some of the more 'unruly' girls, had a habit of running away when they failed Graduation or weren't advancing. Finding out about the Slave and organ trade wasn't what Reborn had been after. That meant it was hers to handle.

That both the Weylyn and Carcassa had their hands in it also meant, that it was her's to deal with by right. The Underground Auctions were something that was far from being closed, and until the time came Aerona would keep any information she could find. Especially when it concerned her Clan and Skull-Sama's Famiglia. Besides, despite her own disgust at the thought, it was still a profitable venture.

One day...she would do something about it...

One day....


	25. Arc I: Commander of Combat Forces, and Vindice Chains.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Skull became Commander of the Combat Forces he didn't expect a War to happen. But at least he could introduce two of his favourite people.

Skull had known the day would finally come when the Vindice would finally meet his precious Cub. Oh, he had never planned to hide her. She was the Queen of her Clan, after all, she would have to meet them one day regardless. Not to mention he was all too proud and happy to show Bermuda-Niisan his precious vicious little Cub.  
  
He was still debating if she was actually a Wolf, he really thought she was more of a feline. He had decided that she wasn't a Dragon, she wasn't posessive enough nor did she like hoarding things...  
  
Still, he hadn't thought that today of all days, and like this...would be when he introduced his precious Kohai to his beloved Niisan....

* * *

  
It wasn't very often the Caracassa Famiglia's Combat Forces were called in force, after all, other than the attack on Mafia Land once a year, there wasn't exactly any wars among the Famiglia at the moment.  
  
Because of this Skull's abilities as a strategist wasn't very common. Nor was his ability to not only lead but command an army of over a 1000 men without any problems. Nor was the fact that those forces were now more loyal to their Comrades then they were the Familiga they were part of.  
  
It had taken years to gain the respect of the Caracassa Famiglia. They were a bad sort, those that trusted no one and thought everyone was expendable. It was something he sought to undo as soon, as he started helping with the Combat Forces. He began as a strategist, planning their raids and ambushes, even helping in their kidnapping and hostage situations.  
  
Skull was not a murderer, no...but he wasn't innocent. He had blood on his hands and knew...alot more about torture and interrogation then anyone would ever believe. It was so easy to shout out information Reborn or Colonello demanded, his mind, however, would scoff and scold himself for giving into such pathetic methods.  
  
Then again, he didn't actually want Colonello or Reborn to actually attempt torture. He wasn't sure if they had any skill or not, but Skull had seen enough, lived through enough to avoid it when possible.  
  
They never wanted anything important anyway...  
  
Still...his pathetic act, just made him realize how pathetic his tormentors could be... But were they? Colonello and Reborn abused and demanded subservience from him yes.... But they were not his jailors, his torturers...  
  
They had never actually gone after him with the intent to maim, to break, to crack open and watch everything within him spill out. More they simply used his Undead Body to take their frustrations out on.  
  
He was curious he would admit, but ultimately decided he didn't want to learn if they knew how to torture others. He supposed they might have never had to.  
  
Reborn was intimidating and violent and wouldn't hesitate with a bullet or a Chaos shot. He probably never needed to actually torture someone.  
  
And Colonello wasn't the patient type, he never would hold out for an interrogation, decided they were just guilty and killing them would be his method.  
  
They were able to get results without damaging their minds and tainting their hands. Skull suppose he felt a bit envious....  
  
So he couldn't so much say they were pathetic...just not what he was used to and arrogant assholes...  
  
Regardless, Skull had grown and gained a number of interesting and odd skills with the Caracassa. Some he wasn't completely proud of, no...but still things that had helped him adapt and survive in one of the Darker Famiglia's in the Mafia world. Although he didn't touch children. That was as far as he would go and he would not compromise on that.  
  
Regardless, Skull had made himself quite invaluable to the Famiglia. It was expected he jumped through the ranks until he answered to the Commander himself. He had been content with his Position. Able to leave when he wanted, but important that the Forces were never called without his knowledge.  
  
When the Commander was suddenly killed in an ambush from a rival Famiglia, Skull suddenly found himself stepping in to take his place. He was quick to assemble his men, was quick to hunt down the one that killed their Commander and he was quick to gain a surrender from the Famiglia responsible. Killing them would have just brought the Vindice, and Skull didn't want to bother them with this nonsense. So he accepted his new position.  
  
This...was a problem.  
  
Skull would admit multitasking was a speciality of his...however, his alliance with the Varia and responsibility as their Cloud Officer and the new position in the Caracassa was starting to become troublesome. Skull literally could not be in two places at once.  
  
As such, the alliance with the Weylyn came in handy it would seem. Aerona understood how important the Varia was to him, the first place that had ever accepted him for what he was. Even the Caracassa had taken years of blood and pain before he gained the respect he had. the Varia had been simple...almost effortless.  
  
The Combat Forces were loyal to their Commander before the Famiglia....so they said not a word when Aerona would show up in his place, or her General Delvin. The Queen of Weylyn was loyal to their Commander and as such would look after his men when he could not.  
  
Aerona was not a strategist, she was a rather apathetic sort on the wrong side of lazy. She was a go in and destroy everything you see type. As such, any plans she had they knew came straight from their Commander if it was serious and the General if it was not.  
  
They even respected that fact that at times she would appear dressed up like a female version of their Commander. Face concealed by a copy of his helmet and covered head to toe in purple leather. Her devotion to their Commander was the reason they allowed her to take his place if he was busy.  
  
Why they were quick to mobilize that time she decided to rescue him from the Varia, why they had been quick to attack Mafia Land on April 1st and let their first victory be forgotten from history as if it had never happened.  
  
What wasn't expected was the war that was declared on the Caracassa Famiglia on one of the days Aerona was filling in for the Commander.  
  
Skull, of course, was angry for his Famiglia's behalf, more so that his men would be sent to war... Because there was no way the Caracassa would allow this insult. Skull knew there would be nothing left. He knew the Famiglia that declared the attack would be erased from history.  
  
He also knew this would summon the Vindice...  
  
He couldn't have his Cub meet them for the first time on her own. He had wanted to introduce his Cub and his Niisan personally. To show Bermuda just how much he had changed, no longer waiting for the world to burn and actually caring for another human being. A saviour as he had once been for Skull....  
  
So although he couldn't be there when the battle began, he made sure to send Aerona the plans, he was able to arrive sometime during the madness and be at his Cub's side as his Combat Force destroyed every trace of the Famiglia that had dared challenge them.

Skull had been shocked and flattered at the appearance his Cub had taken. Had watched in gleeful amusement as she pulled off her helmet and grinned back at him with a face that looked like his own, eyes glowing purple and maliciously. This was why no one had mentioned him being absent it would seem.  
  
Since few survived his Combat Force it no one was told about the difference between the two figures. All that was known was that the Arcobaleno with a purple leather suit and helmet had been at the scene. No one had been left to say anything about the difference in height, age, or gender...  
  
Seems that his position as the Cloud Officer of Varia was still a well-kept secret after all.  
  
Skull and his Character were both amused greatly at this, and couldn't believe just how clever their little cub was, and how stupid humanity was to fall for such a trick. Honestly...  
  
Once the bloodshed was finished, the flames were dwindling, his men were on their way back home, and the bodies had begun to grow cold, Skull knew to expect their appearance as they arrived.

* * *

As was usual when Skull was involved Bermuda sat on Jager's shoulder as they arrived to pass judgement. The silence and remains of the battlefield were witnesses to the odd scene that occurred.  
  
Bermuda was honestly curious for a mere moment at the sight of Skull and a female version of himself. It took a moment for him to think back to what he knew of the current events in the Mafia world. As soon as he made the connection he didn't hesitate to float closer to the two.  
  
"Mabh of Weylyn, Aerona Cloud and Sky active... You have brought judgement and destruction upon a Famiglia. Arcobaleno Skull DeMort, you have aided in this venture and it is your Famiglia that has destroyed another."  
  
Skull who had been shifted impatiently, pressed his hands together anxiously. "They declared war, Niisan. The Caracassa went through the proper channels to try and stop this, but they attacked first." Skull explained quickly rushing his words.He didn't want to be held up with this, he wanted to tell Bermuda his exciting news.  
  
Bermuda was silent for a moment as his head shifted in the position of Aerona.  
  
Aerona who could spot a predator better then anyway had shifted from the hostile stance she had been in. Her feet were braced evenly apart and her hands were clasped before her. Her head bowed gently as her eyes lowered slightly. "I was fulfilling my role as stated in the alliance I have with Caracassa Famiglia. During acts of war allied Clans are at one another's call, and I answered that." She stated formally.  
  
Bermuda tilted his head, and Skull knew that the other was studying Aerona's odd appearance. It was Jager that finally spoke up.  
  
"In accordance with War Time Law, both of you have been Judged. Your actions have not been found in any Guilt and were instead in accordance with the rules of Law and Justice. As such your actions were within your rights and reasoning has been accepted."  
  
Skull couldn't help the beaming smile that crossed his face as he jumped forward. His Character mixing deeply with him in their shared joy and happiness and excitement of this moment. "Bermuda-Nii!" Skull called shrilly happily, waving his arms happily. "Aerona is the Great Skull-Sama's Cub! As her Sempai and Sensei, I have been teaching her everything she needs to know! I'm so happy you can meet her!" Skull exclaimed happily nearly vibrating in place.  
  
Skull could feel the fond amusement that came from Bermuda and the exasperation that came from Jager at his actions.  
  
"So you are Skull's Cub then?" Bermuda questioned formally, with a tone of interest in his voice.  
  
Aerona nodded swiftly, eyes still somewhat lowered, but refusing to back down. "Yes, I am Skull-Sama's Kohai...he has been very kind in teaching me things I need to know. I am afraid, that as a Sky I was....rather neglected and as a Cloud, I was rather misused and restrained."  
  
Bermuda tilted his head thoughtfully. "Restrained....I see..." A thoughtfully feeling came to Skull, filled with the faint murderous intent that came when Bermuda found injustice in something.  
  
Skull nodded rapidly and began speaking in a wild dash of everything that had happened since he had received that contract. Explaining how he had found Aerona and decided to look after and take care of her.  
  
Aerona and Jager were silent as they seemed to study one another, listening with half attention to the two speaking before them but never actually taking their attention from them.  
  
Jager, however, was quick to notice that Aerona's eyes never strayed very far from the Vindice chain that wrapped around him and had appeared with them. He would have arched an eyebrow if he could, and instead narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl.  
  
"Is there something you need to speak of?" He questioned.  
  
Aerona didn't shift, but her eyes did flicker to the side thoughtfully. "I...have more of a request if you would be willing to listen..." She spoke hesitantly, reminding both Jager and Bermuda of Skull when he had been within Vendicare.  
  
"Speak."  
  
Aerona was silent for a moment from the command that jager gave. "Your chain, I...would like very much if I might have the chance to...replicate it." She requested shifting slightly in place.  
  
"Replicate? And why would you want a replication of our Burdon?" Jager questioned suspiciously, his tone strict.  
  
Aerona shifted in place, her fingers shifting before she seemed unable to contain herself. "Because you obviously use it as a weapon. All of Mafia are aware that they are the Bounds of Vindice, the weapons that can tear and shred without being stopped. It is your weapon, and I adore weapons. I wish to come across and replicate any weapon that I can and what would be better than the Chains of Vindice...."  
  
Aerona spoke in a formal rapid paced tone as she seemed to sway and shift in place. Obviously, she wanted to inch closer to the chains and touch them, replicate them rather she was given permission or not. It was also obvious that she was seriously trying to control herself from doing so.  
  
Jager was silent, as Skull burst out laughing exclaiming how adorable and cute his little cub was and wasn't she just adorable when she was excited? Bermuda's amusement only grew as he watched the Arcobaleno try and cuddle the obviously embarrassed Mafia Leader's head, cooing and petting her hair.  
  
Aerona did get those chains though....even if she sold most of her soul to do so.


	26. Interlude: Gorwing up, The Talk, Lust and Pain, Heists, and Poison.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aerona turns 18, so Skull decides she needs the Talk....it gets dark, then it gets drunk, then it gets weird, then it runs away to Verde.

Upon the day Skull's cub turned 18 he realized that she was growing up and she wouldn't be his cute little one anymore. Unlike him, she didn't have a curse freezing her body in place to produce and devour his Flames trapping them in that damned pacifier.  
  
No, his Cub was growing up, and she was beautiful. Unfortunately, now that she was in a position of power, others were beginning to notice just how pretty his cub really was. He knew what they were thinking could see it in their eyes, as they trailed along her. She was a Sky after all, and yea she was Cloudy, but she was still a woman... It would be long before some moron would try and make a move on his Cub.  
  
Oh, Skull knew she could take care of herself. Of course, he did! That didn't mean he was happy with the way they watched her...she was going to be a woman sooner than later, and that meant that he wouldn't always be around to protect her. Or that meant that she herself might no longer want his protection.  
  
And that...that was frightening. Because Skull knew people and he knew the world. He knew what lurked in the shadows and how people were so easily broken... Aerona knew all of this too, she was Mafia....but she was HIS CUB, damn it!  
  
Skull also knew that there would be no one there for his Cub when-if she needed someone. She would never allow those Beta's to comfort or explain things to her, despite their attempts. And her parents had never taught her a thing other than the fastest way to make her bleed and her love of weapons.  
  
So who was going to introduce his precious Cub to the world she was about to step into? The world of hormones, and lust, and body changes, and feelings, and attraction, and romance? Skull might not know much about romance, to be honest, but he couldn't just leave her without some advice...  
  
"Aerona has anyone actually given you, you know...the talk?" Skull questioned as soon as he was comfortable enough to bring it up. In her office where there was a fully stocked bar, it would be best to let his Cub have her first-night drunk as well. Kill two birds with one stone and all that.  
  
Aerona looked up from where she had been frowning at the paperwork she was reading and gave Skull a curious expression. "The Talk?"  
  
"You know the birds and the bees, growing up and feeling and romance and well....sex?" Skull trailed off. He didn't want to think about his Cub having sex....he briefly wondered if this rage induced panic was something parents felt...  
  
Aerona gained an odd expression as her eyes turned blank. "I know what sex is Skull-Sama, after all, you know what Eugene-"  
  
"Yes, I remember that and we aren't talking about it!" Skull suddenly shouted to cut her off and stop her from speaking of he who must not be named and what should have never happened.  
  
Skull tried not to be a violent person. He didn't want to be like Colonello and Reborn or god forbid his parents. He really didn't understand how others could enjoy literally crushing and breaking people apart physically or mentally. Just because they were bored, just because things weren't what they wanted. It should be because you fucking hated something or someone and they needed to vanish. Forever.  
  
But if there was one person he would gladly love to bring back and kill again it was Eugene. The Sky that had tried to bind his Cub, the Sky that had....  
  
His cub had been too kind in letting him die...Skull would have made sure he stayed alive and suffered until his dying breath for what he did, what he tried to do to his cub. His precious broken Cub that was terrified of people, but so brave to deal with them anyway.  
  
More so what completely enraged him was that the little bastard had never been punished. The Weylyn were known as savages and followed an animal mindset more than a human's. The strong survived and ruled, and that was all that mattered. Everything was a weapon even sex or rape. They just didn't see it as the horrible act the rest of the world did. In fact, they even kept the possible betrothal between them active because she had proven herself strong by stopping him, by escaping...  
  
Aerona was silent for a moment as her eyes glanced to the side, pushing the memory that had been called forth away.  
  
Skull cleared his throat and tried to continue what he needed to say. "Anyway, I know you know what sex is, but I'm talking about everything else. Feelings, romance, attraction, urges, desire, even masochistic and sadistic needs...has no one explained any of this to you?"  
  
Aerona gained a thoughtful expression as she glanced back towards him. "Outside of the Biology aspects the rest was deemed worthless or something I would figure out... Hmmm, I've also never felt any of that so..."  
  
"Alright! Then Skull-Sama shall be the one to explain it all with the talk!" Skull declared with a beaming grin as he made his way to jump onto Aerona's desk. The bottle of whatever liquor he fits grabbed clutched in his hand. "I'll tell you all I know about becoming an adult!" He declared brightly.

* * *

There was a time when pain was the only thing that existed for Skull when everything was fake and nothing was real. When even the beat of his heart couldn't be felt or heard and everything was numb numb numb.... Pain had been his saviour his solace...his proof of living... More so because during this time his flames were constantly working, constantly fixing him. Repairing damage as fast as he could receive it.  
  
....Pain became something he craved....  
  
There was a reason he didn't run from being hurt, a reason it was so amusing and hilarious and hahahahahahaha! It was fun. It felt good. It meant that he still was, still existed... He wasn't a dream, an illusion, a fake...  
  
Once upon a time, Skull was quite the Masochist. Actually seeking it, craving it, hurt me break me smash me shatter me make me feel!  
  
Skull would admit he had been in quite a number of unhealthy and destructive relationships simply because he had wanted to suffer.  
  
Skull didn't do relationships, not really. That shard was his and his alone and he was never giving it away, never letting anyone touch it, never... However, Skull was still human, still craved attention and touch, and to feel something. So when he did let anyone close to him it was a violent dark thing with bites and scratches and pulling, pushing, hurting, rough, blood, domination...pain...  
  
It was one of the few times Skull could acknowledge his darkness, embrace his broken insanity and allow it to consume him like a thick cloak of choking black that ensnared and made him feel. The only time the Black Flames within him calmed and backed down allowing the twisted madness within to stir and rise.  
  
He might have taken it too far at times, but so what? The world was filled with cruel disgusting people that loved to dominate and torment others, even felt pleasure from it. And Skull would admit that he was attention catching, a pretty thing that looked even better when black and blue and bloody.  
  
Skull wasn't one to use sex appeal not really he looked good when he looked good, he wasn't promiscuous, but he could be provocative with a shift of his hips, a simple movement of making long limbs look claimable, taintable, breakable...  
  
Skull didn't give into sex and lust was rarely felt if he was honest, but he knew how to use them, knew how to control them and feed from them to fill his own needs. Bubbling the blackness within him and painting pretty streaks of purple and crimson on snow white, and more, more, more...  
  
Skull had a legion of fans that adored and would even die for him he knew, there were more than a few that would want nothing more than to leave their marks all over his flesh.  
  
Becoming an Arcobaleno took all of that away and put a dead stop to it. Trapped in the body of an infant lust and sex were impossible things.  
  
Luckily he had teammates that had no problem with hurting him.  
  
No, Skull couldn't say he felt pleasure when Colonello, Reborn, or any of the others hurt him. Not like he had in his previous arrangements. Still, it was something he could enjoy and even take comfort in. To think that they thought this hurt him, that their actions and hatred actually affected him?  
  
It was fucking hilarious. 

* * *

Skull to this day has never had a single meaningful or healthy relationship, excluding his Niisan and Cub. And Romance was a silly thing to be watched and laughed at. Which was why the future would come to regret the day Skull Demort was the one to give Aerona Weylyn the talk.  
  
It was also the day that would be known as the strangest series of heists that ever happened in history.

From the largest bank in Ireland being robbed and razed to the ground, to three of the most exotic Zoo's being liberated of all their animals, the Eiffel tower suddenly being painted a bright mixture of red and purple like a candy cane, and the Vault to the Queen of Englands jewels being filled with mice traps, the break-in of a German Chocolatier's with all of its confections replaced with gold bars, and ending up with Verde staring at the two sugar high, and possibly intoxicated idiots that were begging him to teach them how to make poisonious toxins and how to kill people by poisoning the air and if they could turn their skin poison somehow.  
  
He gave them what they wanted by the way, and received enough of Skull's blood and cells in return to keep him busy for a few months, he didn't even bother to think just who the girl with Skull had been. Although he would always be plauged by how they got into his sealed lab...


	27. Aerona and Minions attack Varia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something has been missing while Aerona is learning to be the Queen of her Clan. Skull-Sama has been missing for some time and she finds she misses him. Getting him back...proves to be more difficult then she thought. 
> 
> The Varia meets Skull's Cub. Although they still don't realize just who she really is. Also meet Aerona's Beta Group.

It was quiet...too...quiet...  
  
"Aerona, just what is the meaning of this?! Why did I find the paperwork on the possible treaty with the Estraneo Famiglia covered with Ink on my desk!? The paperwork you were supposed to be working on! My desk, I just replaced the last one!"  
  
Aerona wasn't sure, but she was not fond of this sudden quiet, couldn't comprehend why she felt something was...wrong... She also wished Aiden would stop blaming her for everything...  
  
"Lady Aerona seriously, you have missed the last two meetings that were scheduled and you still haven't passed your Italian course. And your French is horrendous. Stop this nonsense and come out."  
  
This was more important than anything else. Aerona was perfectly controlled in what she feels...or at least pretends to be. She did not like this unease in the pit of her stomach. Anrothan would just have to wait.  
  
"Aerona... We were supposed to discuss the new strategy about security for the Castle. I refuse to allow any more of those filthy little peons try and infiltrate us just to challenge you. It is disgraceful. Aerona, will you stop hiding?"  
  
The annoying Beta's were being more annoying than usual, couldn't they understand something was wrong? Was something missing? Delvin knew he had complete control of her forces...  
  
"Aerona dear, it's lunchtime and you really should come out. I even made your favourites for you, I know you haven't been eating well again. You have to take better of yourself, darling."  
  
Aerona was just fine. She could take care of herself, it hadn't been that long since she last ate...when? Regardless, Ervin didn't have to announce when meal time was.  
  
"Alpha you damned bitch! Stop leaving me to deal with these loud whiny little animals and deal with them!"  
  
Aerona huffed in annoyance. Why was it that stupid crowd of hers couldn't understand something was wrong? Aedgen was always complaining about something.  
  
"Aerona, just how long are you going to make me listen to those morons?"  
  
Aerona blinked confused eyes and turned to her Beta. Staring blankly back at the annoyed glare, Aerona decides to ignore the other girl and decide to turn back to glaring at the wall again.  
  
Ulyanna grit her teeth reaching up and rubbing at her forehead, perfectly curled red hair fell past her shoulders and swaying as she took a step closer. Ice blue eyes glared up at the teenager curled up on top of the bookcase.  
  
"Are you seriously going to pretend they aren't tearing the castle apart looking for you. Look I get it, we aren't your Guardians." Ulyanna said with a growl. "I doubt anyone ever will be..." She muttered under her breath. "But since you obviously can't take care of yourself we have to and you- ARE YOU IGNORING ME!" The woman screeched at a painful tone, as she reached out shaking the bookcase, about to rip it away from the wall and throw it.  
  
Aerona sighs in annoyance at the feel of angrypowerswiftdestructionnoescape of red Flames that were filling the air. Her hand was swift to reach out and catch the edge so she wouldn't fall form the shaking. The Red Flames were soon being mixed with Purple as she continued to ignore the Ruby Amethyst.  
  
"I swear to the Gods Aerona, since Skull-Sama has been gone you've been even more insufferable-"  
  
Aerona blinks again when the words register. "Skull-Sama...' She muttered lightly, suddenly realization filling. Skull-Sama had a habit of checking in on her or at least visiting, but....he's been gone for a long time...  
  
She supposed she missed him. Skull-Sama...he had chosen her... He had been the only one to chose her and not want anything in return. He chose her side, helped her, took care of her, he...cared for her...  
  
And he's been gone...  
  
Ulyanna jerks back in shock when Aerona is suddenly jumping to land in front of her. The teenager is quick to move away from the other and head towards the door. Ulyanna pauses before speeding after her with a growl. "Oh no, you are not leaving me here with these moron's again, Aerona. Aerona!"

* * *

It was a simple matter really.

Aerona knew that Skull-Sama had become something of a mentor to her once the battle for Weylyn had ended. And she was forced into a position she hated and was terrified of. How was she to protect and care for her people, when the very thought of them filled her with choking fear and chills of misery and burning rage. Her people, despite being strong were mere humans. Pathetic humans that would hurt, and betray her the moment they thought it justified, the moment they thought it was best for them.  
  
Aerona didn't speak of the dreams that kept her from sleeping in the dark. Of assassins, and burning alive, and the pain of being ripped to pieces before a cheering crowd, of cold stone, and the clouding call of death. She didn't speak of familiar faces turning cold and vicious with hate and disgust, of being tricked the moment she allowed her guard down. The moment she allowed herself to care for those around her they would strike and tear everything away once more. She had fallen for it too many times with her family. She refused to be a victim once more. Never again...  
  
Skull-Sama was different. He wasn't one of her people. And he had chosen her... He might have had his reasons, and he hadn't chosen her because he knew her...but still. He had been the first to chose her and expect nothing in return. The first to look at her with careless eyes, no malice, or want, or hatred, or manipulation, or desire at all.  
  
Skull-Sama, although she would never speak her foolish thoughts aloud, was safe...  
  
Skull-Sama had also made it a point of checking in on her, of looking after her. Aerona felt no shame in allowing it, she had lost her pride long ago and now only had an illusion to fool those around her. She was Alpha, Mabh, Queen and an Amythyst Amber. It was expected that she should have power and strength and pride and will. All of the things that honestly she lacked and was truly not. Physically yes she was strong, she knew weapons like the back of her hand and had no hesitation in hurting or killing others... None of this was true power or strength and to believe they were was nothing but pure arrogance.  
  
Aerona was good at pretending. Her masks were nowhere near Skull-Sama's levels, where he could switch at the blink of an eye. And they were limited, but she had built her masks to be unbreakable and solid. She had Skull-Sama to thank for all of this. For helping build her up so she could survive...  
  
That was why it was a simple thing to go looking for him, to allow worry and concern to fill her. Skull-Sama was...precious to her. She had never had anything precious before... She found she could be quite posessive.

* * *

Skull-Sama had a lot of Minions. Those that adored or worshipped him, it had been easy to help them accept the level of their devotion. Aerona might not accept the Amber that she truly was, what made her Mabh but that didn't lessen what she was. She was an Amber, a Skye...and emotions were simple things for them to understand or manipulate. She could read their body language the first time she came to his Lair. She could feel the affection and pure care of those that surrounded him. All it took were a few words to help them release it. To stop repressing and holding back. Skull-Sama would never insult or betray them for their affection, their adoration. They had nothing to fear from revealing their love of him, embracing it. And Skull-Sama deserved everything he could ever want.

Aerona had never had a person to care for or about before... She found it was easy to become a bit obsessive and preoccupied about it.

Skull-Sama was with the Varia... Aerona was thoughtful as she thought over what Skull-Sama's minions had told her. Esper Mammon was with the Varia, a fellow Arcobaleno....one like Skull-Sama... Aerona wasn't sure how to handle this truth. Skull-Sama had never spoken of the Arcobaleno with affection, but it had never been complete disgust either. And the one he called Viper had belonged to a tone of interest and the most acceptance. Still, Skull-Sama was being kept from his followers, from his Kohai. Aerona really didn't like this at all...they couldn't just steal Skull-Sama and keep him away from him. No this wouldn't do at all.

Aerona didn't think much about calling an attack on the Varia. Skull-Sama's Minions were more affiliated with him then the Caracassa at this point. And if questioned it was the truth that the Famiglia had no idea about the attack and nothing to do with it. Aerona wasn't too sure on the Varia's abilities. The simple knowledge that was passed along the Underground and those that had been hunted by them. She had an idea at the very least.

She would admit to being unprepared for the insanity that was the Castle. Of course, she didn't falter in her actions, nor did the Minions who craved their Lord.  
  
Still, the Shark she found within the Castle, with sharp cold eyes and gleaming silver hair was an interesting surprise. Aerona loved weapons, respected them above anything. Her little clash with the younger teenager was honestly very fun, and she wished for a time she could have an actual match against him. Realizing his sword was attached to his arm, just made him a person of high regard in her mind. Too bad the Head of Varia was missing, she would have been interested in meeting whoever it was that had won his loyalty. Perhaps even try and offer a sparring match or competition....those pathetic Beta's of her could learn from the Shark alone.  
  
Unfortunately, she didn't have time to have an honest duel with the Shark, and as such didn't hesitate to throw him at the Minions. While not skilled with weapons, they were skilled with physical fighting, and the number that had tackled the Shark left him occupied.  
  
Needless to say, she found one monster after another. Outward she continued going, determined to find her Sempai, but internally she was panicking and crying for freedom for silence and the violence to end. The insane child was terrifying, it had been near impossible to shake him. It had been a long time since she felt such a desperate shard of fear cutting deeply into her chest. That child, however, broken and shattered but sharp and dangerous and deranged. It was an inverted mirror. He embraced his inanity, while she denied and ran from it....so afraid and terrified of what she could become. No...the child was not someone she wanted to come across again.  
  
The Emerald was easy to deal with. Devotion surrounded him like a cloud, loyalty and logic were his aura and simple things to use. She was only one of the enemies, he wouldn't focus his entire attention on her, while other rats snuck around in his base. He was an interesting one she supposed, but not any more than her own Emerald. He was also easy to distract and mislead, the weak link she had found within the Den of Monsters.  
  
Her mind was counting down as she moved through the Castle, following the faint pull of the strange bond that had forged between her and Skull-Sama. She could feel him easily, amusement and madness waring with a constant well of hatred and rage and disgust and loneliness and pain and suffering. She had found the Lapiz the Ruby and the Emerald. That left the Golden and the Opal since the Amethyst was Skull-Sama and the Amber was missing.  
  
She found the Golden...

* * *

"Oh, my poor little Cub." Skull cried as he danced around the broken figure that had dropped him as soon as they were within his Lair. "Viper, do something!" He wailed loudly, as he reached out tiny hands pushing matted red hair away from her face.  
  
"So this is Aerona Weylyn..." Viper spoke thoughtfully, as they floated closer, allowing their Mist Flames to seek out. Viper would admit that the young Queen had impressed him. New to her throne and already taking on the Varia.  
  
Although Viper wouldn't say it wasn't a victory, it was a success. The girl had found Skull after all and had retrieved him, broken and bloody as she had been. She hadn't collapsed until they found safe ground.  
  
"Oh, my poor Cub..." Skull cooed as he cuddled Aerona's head. "I'm so proud of you!" He squealed happily with a loud obnoxious laugh. "My little Cub took on the Monsters and lived!" He declared loudly causing Viper to sigh beside him.  
  
"She might have lived, but not without trouble." Viper said with a gesture towards the bloody figure.  
  
Skull waved his hand. "My little Cub is good with weapons, coming across someone like Luss was bound to lead to defeat. She's no good against physical fighters, but still, she was amazing! Even after Luss broke her ribs she didn't stop! Oh, my wonderful little Cub I'm so proud of you!" Skull declared once more as he gently pats the girls head.  
  
Viper couldn't help but groan loudly. This just continued to prove that Skull was completely insane, and it would seem his student was just as well. The girl had appeared in the Varia a wrath of crimson, trailing blood and destruction behind her. She hadn't hesitated or stopped once, even as the Minions that had been with her fell or drew back, she had not relented until she had her goal. Bloody and near unconscious as she was.  
  
Speaking of... Viper looked at the blood spreading beneath the girl. "She's going to bleed out."  
  
Skull's eyes widened. "No! My cub! Medic! I need a Medic!" Skull screeched hysterically.

* * *

"Ughhh, VOI! What the hell hit me!?" Squalo demanded with a whine from where Luss had him trapped in the Med-bed.  
  
"Why an adorable little Crimson demon!" Lussuria gushed as he tightened the bandage around Squalo's head causing him to whine in pain. "Oh, she was absolutely marvellous!"  
  
"Shishishishi... She jumped around like a rabid rabbit with poisonous teeth..." Belphegor said with an amused expression looking down at the hole in his hand where he had been stabbed.  
  
"Oh, that's precious! A vicious little bunny!" Lussuria gushed at the thought with a giggle.  
  
"That was no Rabbit, that was a wolf, waiting to claw out our throats..." Levi grumbled as he held an ice pack over his face. He has reclined with his head tipped back to stop his broken nose from bleeding.  "A stupid wolf with a stupid pack...." He complained.  
  
Lussuria just continued to giggle as Squalo continued to whine. "Now, now. I wouldn't be complaining. In fact, I think this proves just how much we need to pick up things. This is twice now we have been infiltrated, and this time our adorable little Cloud was stolen from us. My, everyone has become so vicious nowadays..." he said with a sigh and a shake of his head.  
  
"VOOIII! What do you mean she took our Cloud?!" Squalo jerked up to demand, only to collapse in pain. "And why aren't you hurt?!" He demanded pointing at the Sun in anger.  
  
Lussuria giggle. "Why I'm a Sun, darling. I already took care of myself. Besides, that darling little demon didn't hurt me as much as you. In fact, I was able to break her quite a number of times before she escaped." Luss said with a cheerful grin. "But oh, my! Her pain tolerance was amazing! Able to stand even after I fractured her leg....and crimson is totally her colour. Oh... I'm getting cold shivers just thinking about it!" Lussuria said wrapping his arms around himself and shivering in delight.  
  
Belphegor gave a disgusted grimace in Lussuria's direction. "Your a disgusting perverted freak..." He said with his own shudder.  
  
Of course, when Skull and Viper returned, Skull went on to explain that the girl had been his Kohai and his precious Cub. Lussuria invited her to tea.


	28. Storm Cloud, Fon and Skull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull couldn't say he hated who Fon had become, what he had been yes. But Fon wasn't someone he truly hated...not anymore. How could he hate the one person that always seems to just...be there? He also can't understand why Reborn would even be in a Relationship while trapped as an infant, what is the point?

Fon and Skull would never say they had a good relationship or even one at all. Fon had an odd responsibility within the Arcobaleno. He was distant, but he was always there. he might not interfere, he might not get involved, but he could always be relied on. He was always there to watch, to give advice, to explain, to be a calming presence before everything exploded. So yea... Skull didn't have a good relationship with Fon, but he didn't have a bad one either. More so, Fon had become what Luce had tried to be. An anchor for Skull to rely on and cling to when needed.  
  
When Colonello and Reborn were going too far he would distract them. When Lal was being particularly cruel or overbearing he was there to push her to other targets. When Viper was careless with their words or said something hurtful Fon was gentle and offered an idea or thought that would distract. When Verde was being extremely...creepy about his tendencies to stalk and try and capture Skull, Fon would decide he needed someone to accompany him on some journey.  
  
Fon never went out of his way for Skull though, but when he was there he was...well there. It was something Skull was thankful for, respected even... It didn't mean that he didn't resent him. I mean come on... you can respect and resent someone. Skull admired Reborn for several of his abilities, that didn't mean he would love to see him ripped to shreds. Skull did resent Fon, even disliked him if he was serious. But he didn't hate him. Not like Luce, or Colonello, or Verde, or Lal, or Reborn. No, Fon was...more like Viper. Skull more or less accepted Fon for what he was and that was all there was to it.  
  
As the years passed Skull knew he was changing, and that things had finally fallen out of his control. He had been the Character Arcobaleno for so long...he didn't think there was a possibility to return to what he was... not fully at least. And while he would always hate the Arcobaleno for what they had been...he also knew that what they are have changed. The curse had left none of them unaffected, although changed in different ways.  
  
More so when it came to Viper and Fon, Skull didn't actually feel hatred anymore. Even Verde had faded more to someone he feared and disliked then hated. Oh, he would never forgive them for how they had been and he would always hate those people. The problem was...they weren't those people anymore. Not really. There was always a chance that if the Curse broke they would return, but....meh...Skull could think about it if that happened.  
  
That didn't mean he had come to accept all of them as they now were. Oh, no. Lal was still an opinionated control freak who would accept nothing but for things to be how she wanted and thought. She was obsessive and controlling and frankly terrifying, not hesitating to betray or abandon or hurt anyone if she thought it best. Lal's loyalty was her strong point as it was nearly impossible to break or destroy, but left everyone outside of it as collateral. As for Colonello and Reborn... yea...Skull already knew his problems with them, even if their problems with him were strange and just annoyingly stupid.  
  
No, Skull still hated Lal, Colonello, and Reborn even if Viper and Fon were alright and Skull could see Verde as fine. Really aside from wanting to study him and cut him open Verde was fine and left him be. He even helped him when he Cub started getting interested in poison. Last he heard they were looking into Airbourne toxins since Skull and Aerona had talked about using their flames to manipulate Carbone Dioxide and Oxygen. Hey. Skull didn't like hurting people and was a coward okay? That didn't mean he was stupid...  
  
That's why Skull never minded when Fon got ahold of him. Rarely was it for anything important. Fon was a Master at near everything he tried, so he rarely needed help with missions. However, he did have a habit of checking in on the others and trying to spend some time with them. Which usually left Skull either visiting and trying whatever tea's or food Fon thought he would like or going on some interesting Journey for Knowledge. Skull wasn't sure how Fon found out he had an interest in History, Legends, and Culture. That wasn't the Character, that was purely Skull poking through. Which just proved that his real self was mixing into his mask.  
  
Skull liked spending time with Fon. He never demanded anything, he was calm and patient and a great cook. Fon was one of the people that Skull wanted to introduce his Cub to the most, but also the one he was most wary of. Reborn was a Hitman yes, a gun for hire. Fon though, Fon was a true assassin and he wouldn't hesitate to take out a target even if he disliked it.  
  
Hey, Skull admitted there were things he liked about Reborn....they were simply rare. And if Reborn decided he didn't want to take a job he didn't or changed it to his advantage. Fon, simply didn't care. So while Skull liked Fon....he would admit he was the only one of the Arcobaleno that Skull actually feared. He didn't hate him....but he was terrified of him.  
  
Skull could admit that Fon probably knew him the best because Skull had to act the least around him. The fear and caution were completely real, but so was the amusement and happiness from being around him. Fon was an interesting person, and Skull did like hanging out with him. It was always interesting and amusing. Fon always had something for him to laugh about and enjoy.  
  
Somehow Fon knew about the night he allowed Aerona to drink herself into stupidity. He also knew about the stupid things they had done, and yea Skull could admit they were stupid even if they had been fun at the time. Skull might not have been completely blitzed like Aerona had been, but he had consumed enough sugar to be completely out of control. Skull knew he had a problem... Despite trying Viper hadn't gotten their hands on any of his Valentine's sweets. Not a one.  
  
"I can understand most of it, but I'm quite concerned about the Sacrifices. I didn't take you for a Religious person..." Fon stated with a curious expression on his face, as he watched Skull flinch away and chuckle nervously.  
  
"Eh, no not really. My Cub though...she grew up in a very traditional and Religious family. To be truthful she doesn't really follow most of it, she has no faith what so ever... But uh....she decided she needed to repent to the Gods and as such the Sacrifices were needed....she was really drunk..." Skull mumbled trailing off very uncomfortable.  
  
It had been strange to find himself covered in blood and feathers and fur when he finally woke up the next day. Those poor, poor chickens...and he couldn't even think about the goats. He knew Aerona's Family held to the old Gods, Pagan's and Druid's she said... He just never thought she would know how to perform ancient old fashioned Sacrifices. Apparently, her family had still performed them for each season until her Grandmother's death.  
  
Skull knew better than to ask Fon how he knew, Fon never answered.  
  
Fon gave an understanding sound as he nodded, pushing another plate of some foreign treat in Skull's direction. "As long as it wasn't some form of malicious slaughter I suppose..." He finally said in a distant tone.  
  
Skull wasn't sure if Fon was actually serious or just making conversation so he continued to munch on whatever the new treat was. A crinkle to his nose revealed his annoyance. It tasted like some kind of nuts, salty and roasted, Skull had never liked them, to be truthful peanut butter was something he found rather disgusting unless overpowered by jam.  
  
"Ah, not those then," Fon said with a smile taking in the expression and pulling them away, moving a powered treat closer. "This one then." He offered with a nod. Taking a sip of his tea he smiled seeing that Skull seemed to enjoy the Mochi as he chewed happily. "I had heard from Viper you had a Kohai....To be honest, I myself have found a student of my own..." Fon stated with an almost sheepish tone.  
  
Skull blinked in slight shock as he swallowed the treat. Chewey and soft yet firm....how strange... "Eh? You have a student?" Skull asked in shocked confusion. Trying to like the dust from his fingers. It wasn't sweet enough to be powered sugar....what was it?  
  
Fon nodded with an amused expression as he handed a napkin over to the dust-covered Cloud. "Indeed. A lonely little thing, although with great potential in martial arts. I would even claim her a natural." Fon's smile took on a more prideful curve, fond and amused all in one. Pushing the pot of Oolong tea closer he made sure the Cloud took a sip before he choked.  
  
"I also find it a bit time-consuming. I'll admit I've been more interested in training the girl than any other missions that have called my attention. And it has been some time since I answered a summons from the Triad." Fon explained after a moment of thought. "I...have been considering a...momentary leave until my student's training is completed," Fon stated with a tone of uncertainty.  
  
Skull blinks before nodding with a wide grin. "Well if that's what you want to do Fon then I say go for it!" he said with a loud cheer to his tone. "Everyone deserves a break, and even if your break is training someone you should still be able to do it if you want to!" Skull declared loudly.  
  
Fon allowed an amused expression to cross his face at the Cloud's actions. Amused and fond. Skull was an interesting person. Most might found him obnoxious or annoying, but Fon found him more amusing than anything. He wasn't close to the Cloud...but he was fond of him. The Cloud might be arrogant, but he was cheerful enough to be pleasent to be around.  
  
"Ah..." Fon said with a nod and a smiled as he took a sip of his tea. How could he not take in such a happy endorsement? Fon shook his head as he allowed something else to come to mind.  
  
Skull grinned at the Storm before a frown crossed his face. "Hey, Fon....I was curious. I don't pay much attention to Reborn-Sempai, other than to stay out of his way of course..." he said sheepishly. "But uh...I have heard this rumour lately..."  
  
Fon blinks before an amused expression crossed his face. "Ah, you've heard of him entering a relationship with the Poison Scorpion?" He asked with a slight chuckle.  
  
Skull grimaces slightly. "I mean...I would never try and tell Reborn-Sempai what to do..." he started off slowly. "But...its just strange."  
  
Fon shrugged lightly. "Age of consent in Italy is 14, and I would think you would know that by now. I also didn't think you were so interested in Reborn's Lovers." He said with an amused tone.  
  
Skull huffed as he crossed his arms. "The Great Skull-Sama is not interested in Reborn-Sempai's Lovers!" He declared angrily with a huff. "I also get the whole age thing. But even then it's still strange, I mean ignoring how long we have been trapped as infants....we're infants! How does that....why would that....how could you even..." Skull trailed off as he tried to get his brain around the thought of being in some form of romantic relationship as they were.  
  
It didn't help that Skull didn't believe in romance or love at all, so in his mind relationships were sex and pleasure. So what was the point of being in a relationship if there was neither?  
  
Fon allowed an amused chuckle to escape him at the confusion Skull was showing, but a faint pang of sorrow filled him as well. Fon might not be close to the Arcoableno, not really but he did watch. More so he had seen Skull's confusion and disgust in Lal and Colonello's so-called 'relationship'. Viper had, of course, looked up information on all of them before and after the curse. And as the only one that had been interested Fon knew more about Skull than the others.  
  
Perhaps this was why it was so easy to understand or realize that Skull had no idea or care about romance or love at all. Skull had a trail of lovers and partners falling behind him, before the Curse... an impressive number that Reborn would even stutter over.  
  
More so Fon had seen the pattern that Viper didn't care to notice. Fon was hired to deal with affairs and such at times, he knew patterns. So he knew Skull's take them and leave them pattern. More so that those few that were repeats were not healthy or safe relationships. Violence and lust and pain...a Use them and Abuse them trait. And Skull was not the one being left behind.  
  
To be truthful Fon would admit that he was extremely interested in knowing the person Skull had been once upon a time. Twisted and decaying and broken and shoved together... Fon found people interesting and Skull more so.  
  
Because things did not match up. Oh, yes Skull was still an arrogant Stuntman, and the cowardice could be contributed to real danger and or the Mafia itself. However, there were things that were missing from the Skull he knew and the trail that came from the Skull Viper and he had looked up.  
  
Skull was interesting....and oh so sadly broken...  
  
Fon merely continued to smile and shrug. "I have no idea. You might want to question Reborn..." He offered, laughing at the complaining screeches that followed his statement.  
  
Fon briefly wondered if perhaps Skull would ever truly be his Element, might share his Sky. The bond of the Curse tethered them of course, but Fon had always felt a connection to the Cloud from the moment they came together. He had thought he felt an answering pull, tentative and light from the other...perhaps it had been wishful thinking on his part? The curse, however, had covered and overwhelmed it if had existed. And with the teether, no other bond could exist at all.  
  
It was a pity, that he might never know...


	29. Broken Flames and Cloud Cubs.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull and Aerona travel to Japan and find some interesting things...
> 
> The first Arc come to a close.

"Ah...but why bring the Great Skull-Sama to Japan?" Skull questioned from his place on Aerona's shoulders as they walked along the sidewalk of some random town.  
  
Aerona was silent her hands shifted unconsciously as nervousness filled her. She could still feel the same choking painful feeling that always came when someone actually cared about what she was doing. It wasn't as painful any longer, and it didn't make her feel like she had swallowed shards of glass anymore... However, she still couldn't stop feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed when someone paid attention to her.  When someone....cared....  
  
The Beta's were different... She was their Mabh, their Queen... They didn't care for her as a person, no it was because she was their Amber. Just like the rest of the Clan...if she had never won....if she had died during the Trials, they would never have even blinked...  
  
Skull blinked slowly from within his helmet and tightened the loose embrace he had around Aerona's neck. His poor little Cub's emotions were still a complete mess. Pain and misery and suffering still clung to her thickly, but he was happy that the self-loathing and disgust and loneliness were fading.  
  
Once again Skull couldn't help but admire and adore Lussuira. The Sun had been extremely helpful with trying to seal the cracks on his little Cub. They didn't meet very often, and Luss still only knew her as Cub and not Aerona Weylyn, but still, the man was such a bright ray of sunlight and affection it was impossible to be unaffected.  
  
Although he did worry about his poor little Cub's innocence. He knew Lussuria had no interest in her, females were cute and adorable like puppies and kittens as Luss had said. Still, Lussuria never seemed to filter speaking his mind to Skull's Cub, and a few of the things they had talked about had been...  
  
Skull shuddered lightly as he paled. Skull would admit his own interest in relationships in the past had been unhealthy. For the most part, they had been normal, ignoring pain and blood and controlled force. Since becoming an Infant he felt no interest at all.  
  
However, the conversations between Aerona and Lussuria had been...strange and that didn't even cover the admiration of corpses. He just... Viper had taken to distracting him when those two hung out together. Something about not needing to deal with an enraged mother bear or something.  
  
Skull shook his head violently to erase the thoughts from his mind. It was okay, his Cub wasn't interested in things like that yet, so it was fine. She just found Lussuria interesting.  
  
When would she start being interested in stuff like that? Skull wondered as panic once again began filling him. What if someone hurt his Cub? What if they made her cry? What if they didn't listen to her and tried to force her like that goddamned Eug-  
  
"Skull-Sama, you are leaking," Aerona said blankly as she stared at the glowing purple figure on her shoulder. Her own flames shivering and flickering to reach the _ragehatekillprotectripsuffer_ feel that was coming from her Sempai. Her own flames were used to the feel of Skull's and didn't try to fight or interfere instead welcoming them and trying to sooth as best as they could.  
  
Deep beneath the Abyss that was Aerona's soul she could feel the sparkle shine of roaring Gold that wanted to soothe and comfort and calm. Threads of gold shifted and crept along the Purple, small pale veins that crept out to calm the other Cloud.  
  
Aerona felt a moment fo disgust and hatred fill her, before pushing it aside. Skull-Sama was the most important thing to her and if that meant she had to use those hatred Gold flames then so be it.  
  
Aerona's gaze drifted away as slowly Skull's flames calmed and trailed away, once more sealed within the hold of the Pacifier around his neck that pulled and clung and craved and grabbed anything Skull released with a vicious hunger.  
  
Skull took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them with a grin. "Don't worry the Great and Amazing Skull-Sama is just fine!" Skull declared loudly with a loud laugh.  
  
Aerona smiled faintly and continued walking along the street. "I want something for Halloween that are here..." Aerona answered his earlier question. She was fast becoming a fan of the Holiday, and it mixed so well with her own families Traditions that the Beta's didn't complain too much. "I thought you wanted to be out of Italy anyway?" She questioned.  
  
Skull blinked before freezing in shock. "That's right..." he said with a horrified tone, as he shrunk closer to Aerona's neck. "Reborn's birthday..." He muttered. "The Arcobaleno were invited of course, as it's being celebrated with the Chiavarone this year again. I can't..." Skull's voice cut off with a whimper.  
  
Reborn of course always pushed traditions to the extreme for his birthday since becoming an Arcobaleno. Always celebrating his 1st birthday, and always, always, finding a way to torment and make Skull suffer if he was forced to come along. Skull could feel a tremor feel his body half-remembered pain and humiliation and the other pure rage and hatred at the thought of suffering beneath that arrogant Hitman's hands.  
  
Skull wasn't afraid of Reborn, but his body still reacted to the thought of pain when he even thought of the Hitman. It was even more horrifying if Colonello and Lal were involved as well. Colonello enjoying being able to beat up and torment the Cloud, while Lal found it amusing and would point out ways they were doing it wrong or being inefficient.  
  
Aerona frowned lightly. "Skull-Sa-" Aerona was cut off as she suddenly found herself crashing to the ground as a small weight collided with her and tripped her.  
  
Aerona blinked from where she was kneeling on the ground with Skull-Sama tightly in her arms. Glancing down to make sure Skull was alright, she turned trying to find what she had crashed into. She blinked in confusion at the small fluffy haired thing that was kneeling on the ground with shaking shoulders. _'A child?'_ Aerona wondered taking in the small short frame.  
  
Skull-Sama, of course, was much more useful in such situations. "Hey, hey, are you alright?" Skull questioned as he jumped down from Aerona's hold to walk towards the collapsed figure on the ground. Skull blinked when he heard the kid sniffling for a moment before a loud sobbing cry escaped the other. **"** HIEEE **!"**  
  
Skull stumbled away from the fluffy haired kid as the loud cry seemed to vibrate his entire body leaving him unsteady and honestly a bit frightened. He didn't know how to handle kids! How should he handle kids! A stunt? Should he do a trick? Should he tell a joke? What should he do, what should he do? Skull danced around the child as it sat with its head back crying towards the sky.  
  
Aerona, however, frowned lightly as she watched the scene. "Enough." She said sharply, dropping her hand on the kid's head harshly.  
  
Suddenly the piercing wail cut off, as the child jerked from the heavy hand. Blinking teary eyes he stared up at the girl standing before him. A few sniffles escaped, as Skull sighed in relief and stopped dancing around.  
  
"Hey, hey. The Great Skull-Sama says there is no reason to cry, so you don't cry!" Skull declared as he suddenly stood before the kid pointing a finger at him. Aerona moved her hand away as the child merely blinked at Skull in a mixture of shock and confusion. "Now, why are you crying?" He demanded with his hands on his hips.  
  
The child sniffled again, slowly, reaching up to rub his eyes. His other hand coming up to reveal a scrapped palm that matched the peeling knees.  
  
Skull blinked for a moment. "Ah!" He exclaimed loudly, causing the child to flinch away from him. "Cub we need alcohol and bandages and ointment and-"  
  
Aerona closed her eyes with a deep sigh as Skull-Sama once again started shouting for medical supplies in a panic as he danced around the child. Wanting to make sure nothing else was hurt, and not wanting to hurt him more. However, she couldn't help but frown lightly as she looked down at the scared and panicking child as Skull shouted obnoxiously. There was something...broken and damaged pulling at her.

* * *

"So, tomorrow is your birthday Tsuna-Kun?" Skull asked as he sat on the table his legs dangling off to swing.  
  
Thye little boy with knees and hands covered in way too many purple bandages nodded, as he took another bite of his ice cream. "Uh huh..." He mumbled with an expression of sorrow and loneliness.  
  
Aerona who had been silent for most of the trip to the pharmacy and then Ice cream shop had an odd expression on her face. "Is your birthday a problem?"  
  
Tsuna seemed to curl in on himself. "No, it's fine..." he mumbled as he took a bigger bite of ice cream.  
  
Skull who had crossed his arms by now was frowning within his helmet. "You don't seem happy about your birthday..."  
  
Tsuna pushed the ice cream in his bowel around with a pout. "It's not that I'm not happy... Momma always makes sure to get me something if I remind her...but..." Tsuna hesitated his voice trailing off as he seemed to try and disappear in front of them.  
  
Skull frowned deeply. He didn't like this. This was beginning to remind him of Aerona when he first met her, only the kid hadn't found his hatred or the world yet.  
  
"Well..." Tsuna trailed off. He was uncertain and unsure, he didn't like strangers and trusted no one. He knew no one really cared about him, except for his momma, more so since he started being all clumsy and failing everything. But... He glanced up at the teenager and the small adult again in confusion. For some reason, they didn't feel bad...and they didn't make him feel angry like papa did now...  
  
"Sometimes, Momma forgets which day my birthday is. I know she's really busy and all, but..." Tsuna trails off, looking back down to his treat. "I guess...I...I don't like being all alone all the time. And...no one likes me because I'm No-Good and..."  
  
Aerona allowed a scowl to cross her face as the boy spoke. This...this was familiar... The boy didn't carry any scars and didn't act like he had been harmed no, but her mind could draw a familiar memory of loneliness. The difference was when her parents did remember they didn't care.  
  
Which was better though? Someone being apologetic and giving hope that it wouldn't happen again only to repeat it? Or someone not caring at all and never giving false hope that they ever would?  
  
A sigh escaped Aerona as annoyance filled her. She really hated people...  
  
"What do you mean your No-Good?" Skull was the one to ask in confusion. he had never heard that phrase before. He had spent years in Japan of course, and he honestly loved it, taking to its honorific's and some customs. He had never come across this though.  
  
Tsuna seemed to wince as his eyes gleamed lightly. "It's what momma calls me now that I'm always messing up. I'm clumsy, and I'm not smart, and I trip all the time, and I break things, and I'm late, and I mess everything up..."  
  
A shattering sound had the boy jerking up in fear only to freeze in place. Skull likewise was shocked but was filling with panic once more. Aerona for her part was using one hand to wipe the mess of milkshake off of the table before starting to pull the glass from her other hand.  
  
"Oh no!" Skull suddenly screeched as he stood upon the table, gaining attention, running around and waving his hands in the air. "Medic! We need a medic! My Cub is all hurt, and there's glass, and what if she dies, and she'll die by milkshake! Milkshake!"  
  
Tsuna curled back into his seat. It was only the glowing purple eyes Aerona had locked on him that kept him from running away.  
  
"Tsuna..." Aerona spoke softly, although it wasn't kind and it wasn't gentle...more there wasn't any emotion that she could bring to her voice. "You are a child... If you are late or failing it's your mother's fault and not yours."  
  
Tsuna's eyes widened. "But-"  
  
"There is no excuse!" She snapped causing the boy to flinch again. "Your mother can't help your being clumsy, or tripping or many things no. But if you are having trouble learning she should be helping you. She should be helping you make sure you're on time, she should make sure your school work is done, she should make sure to help you if you need it or hire help at least, she should make sure you are alright after you hurt yourself..." She muttered remembering the boy's confusion to Skull shouting he needed to be treated right away.  
  
"And she should always know the day her child was born." A growl escaped Aerona that reminded Tsuna of the monsters and demons on tv. All evil and angry and wanting to kill and take over the world. "Don't make excuses for her. Be angry, be sad, or even stop caring at all, but don't make excuses for others. They don't deserve them."  
  
Tsuna blinked in confusion and slight fear as he sniffled. He watched as Skull had the med kit out again, and was wrapping up Aerona's hand while a member of the staff was cleaning up the mess. Aerona however, refused to look away from him. It made him feel... Excuses? Is...is that what he was doing... Was he trying to make excuses for momma and papa when they forgot about him?  
  
Tsuna looked down to his ice cream again. It hurt to be all alone and he as lonely... But...crying hadn't changed anything had it? He...he was still all alone. His momma had gone shopping and told him to go play, leaving him alone again. And when he got hurt she hadn't been there... She usually just sighed and told him to be more careful...and she told him to do better with his school work, but she never...tried to help him...  
  
It didn't hurt now... he realized that while he hadn't been thinking about it, while he wasn't thinking about how lonely he was it hadn't hurt. He hadn't been lonely. He had been distracted and thinking about other things and realized....it hadn't hurt when he hadn't been thinking about everything he was sad about. Was he....was he only sad about things because he thought about them... Becuase he let himself be sad about them?  
  
His head hurt...  
  
"Come on, let's go!" Skull called out cheerfully causing the boy to jerk in fear and surprise.  
  
"Eh?" Tsuna asked in confusion.  
  
"Your birthday is tomorrow, right? Well, Aerona and I won't be here tomorrow so let's go get you a gift now!" Skull said practically vibrating in place in joy and happiness.  
  
"Eh?!"

* * *

"What about manga?" Aerona asked quietly as they browsed the bookstore.  
  
Tsuna looked up in confusion. "Manga?" He asked with a tilt of his head.  
  
Aerona blinked before nodding. "Hmmm, what type should you try... let's go with some fantasy, then some magic, maybe adventure...I don't know about romance..." Aerona continued down the aisle grabbing things that Tsuna agreed looked interesting.

* * *

"Oh! Oh! I know! How about a bicycle! Do you know how to ride one, Tsuna?" Skull asked in excitement.  
  
"Ummm....well, no...I still need..." Tsuna trailed off in embarrassment, while Skull went off to grab an awesome bike that still had training wheels. Tsuna wasn't sure if he was more embarassed or relieved that the little one seemed to care.

"These are amazing..." Aerona said with a smile as she activated the display in the Halloween store.  
  
Unfortunately, this would be the day Tsuna inherited a deep fear of bats as they all came swooping down at him from the ceiling. It was also when Aerona gained a deep fondness for them.

* * *

It was the day Tsuna gained a great fear for many things...

* * *

The three ended the day with dinner at a sushi restaurant nearby where Tsuna said he lived. Bags lay around the young boy as a small smile crossed his face. Today had been... different. he hadn't been alone like usual and no one had beaten him up. He had seen one of his bullies at the store, but for some reason, he had run off after he started heading his direction. Tomorrow might be his real Birthday, but today...today had been, fun...  
  
Tsuna looked up to Skull and Aerona. Aerona who was chewing with a disgusted expression, while Skull was impatiently trying to get her to try something else.  
  
Tsuna hoped he remembered this for a long time...It was...it was almost like having friends.

* * *

Aerona and Skull watched as Tsuna was welcomed home by his mother, who seemed excited to hear all about his day. There was something strange about that woman... Aerona had been tempted to 'meet' her, but seeing the affection and love the woman had for her son caused Aerona to grumble in annoyance. Abandonment was one thing, oblivious neglect another. She couldn't really do anything against someone who didn't even understand that they were wrong...  
  
Skull understanding the situation merely laughed as he pats Aerona's head as he stood on her shoulders. "The Great Skull-Sama says Tsuna-Kun will be fine." He said with an obnoxious laugh. "Do you think he'll like the cellphone though?" Skull asked loudly hyper. "I hope he calls!"  
  
Aerona merely sighed as they left the area heading towards their hotel. "We didn't exactly hide it very well. He should find it easily..." Aerona said with a small scowl. "And you did leave him the note and voicemail on how to use it."

Skull nodded. "Yea, but kids can be stubborn. I hope he doesn't take the whole 'use when needed' to seriously. I mean he doesn't have to wait for emergencies and stuff, but The Great Skull-Sama was worried the mother might take it if he used it all the time." Skull said with a hint of worry and concern in his voice.

"....parents are the worst..." Aerona mumbled with an annoyed expression.  
  
As they walked along the streets the darkness of the grew as night slowly fell. Aerona ended up carrying Skull as he eventually fell asleep. It must be exhausting to live in an infants body...  
  
As she walked along the streets, a small flash of silver caught her attention. Looking up Aerona was curious as she stared into a pair of animalistic grey eyes. The eyes belonged to a small child, around the age of Tsuna although taller.  
  
The small boy was frowning at her, his body tense and uncomfortable. The silence spread as his hands seemed to tighten on a small set of training tonfa. "Carnivore..." He finally muttered in a hissed greeting, that was hesitant.  
  
Aerona blinked slowly, as her eyes took in the figure before her, slowly a small smile crossed her lips. "What a vicious little cub..." She muttered her own greeting, as she looked the child over. Already the flare and glow of bright Purple flames consumed and thrashed within the little Cloud. "Don't fear... I have no interest in your territory and have my own. I was merely visiting, and have caused no harm or trouble..." She stated formally, with a small bow to her head. Not submission, the child was far too young and inexperienced, but an acknowledgement.  
  
This place was a Cloud's territory even if he had yet to claim it. How interesting... She wondered what that would mean for little Tsuna in the future. There was something twisted about that child, something fractured and broken, and far beyond her abilities. However, Tsuna was apart of this territory and that meant he belonged to this little Cub, for the moment...  
  
Still, Aerona couldn't help the faint flicker that came alive inside of her. She never thought to come across a wolf cub outside of Ireland. And there was no denying that this little boy was a wolf. Those eyes were anything but human. "You'll become a strong little Carnivore one day..." She whispered soothingly, giving her own blessing although unknown.  
  
The boy shifted in place uncertain. Not pulling back and not backing down, but clearly unsure how to handle another Cloud being in its territory. It was amusing...because the little Cub wasn't sure just what he was uncertain of. The Alpha before it, or the strange form being carried by it. The Alpha was terrifying and strong, but the small form in its arms... It reeked of panic and fear and power and danger. Kyoya had never felt fear coming not from those around him, but himself. He had never felt panic on how to react or if he should.  
  
Aerona allowed her smile to grow into a grin, sharp teeth flashing in darkness and starlight. It would be a faint memory Kyoya would recall later on in the future. He would also remember, moving aside and pulling away as the creatures walked past him. Not cowering and not relenting no, but understanding that at the moment he couldn't stop them. It would have been his death, his instincts screamed and howled.


	30. Interlude: What is the Sky Cloud?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read End Notes, about the future of our Amazing Skull Demort!

**A Sky was not a naturally violent person. Oh, that isn't to say they couldn't be cruel, vicious or completely ruthless. No, it was just that a Sky represented Harmony...naturally they sought safety and protection, loyalty and trust. Not only towards themselves but towards those a Sky allowed close, those that they accepted as a part of them. Those that they welcomed to Bond with and take within their reach.**

**They protected as they gained in turn, they soothed and gave those that they held within safety and devotion as they received in turn. This is what made them so powerful, so...amazing. For those that were beneath their wings, that they cared for they would do anything.**

**They would be ruthless and cruel and vicious when their Elements, their precious Family were threatened.**

**However, a Sky was not a naturally violent person. Rather it was the world that would break and shatter and change a Sky from what they were, what they should have been. Still a Sky all the same, but no longer a representation of pure Harmony as they had been. There were a few differences and they were rare.**

**Wrath Flames were one, and as the name, they were anger and strength, a Sky of Survival. A Sky that would survive no matter what, even if there was never an Element or the pull of Harmony they would continue on. They would not be stopped, they would not bow down. They were Wrath.**

**Night Flames were another. Once a Pure Sky of Harmony that had been shattered and twisted into vengeance and despair, dead inside and only living through force. They were power and Darkness and an unending Quest for Justice and Redemption, of Regret and Misery.**

**These are different Sky Flames that have a physical difference that reveals the changes and hardships the Sky has gone through.**

**These are just two of the odd types of Sky Flames that came into existence, so far they were also the only ones recognized and named among the Flames of Sky. That didn't mean they were the only ones that existed.**

**What about something less physical? Like a bodies natural reaction, like pain? Sometimes a Sky simply shattered... Their Flames either turning on them and destroying them from the inside out. Reaching out and destroying, tainted and Discordant...**

**Or their flames can withdrawal deep within them, unable and unwilling to reach out and feel another Flame, unable to feel the Flames reaching for them in turn. They became Flame Desensitized. Unable to bond, unable to feel...slowly falling into a numb state of not living, only existing...**

**Sometimes....those Sky Flames will instead be fed to the creation of another Flame. Sometimes they hid behind another Flame, making it stronger to become it's own Guardian and Camoflouge, taking the Sky's place.**

**Or the Sky Flames merged and became one with a different Flame merging and creating anew from Need and Damage. When Sky Flames fell to Hatred and Death and Revenge, they turned to Night. When Sky Flames fell to Destruction and Pain and Rage they turned to Wrath.**

**So what about Flames that fell to Fear and Loneliness and the Empty-Empty Abyss....what would these become?**

**No one knows about it, no one thinks about it, because these Skies have been Covered and Consumed by the only Flame that could Eclipse it. They became Clouds...Broken, Shattered, Strange Clouds.**

**Inverted Clouds.**

**But...what happens when instead of becoming Inverted, of allowing their Sky to be Consumed and Eclipsed they merged?**

**Sky meeting Storm made Wrath**....

**Sky meeting Death made Night...**

**What did Sky meeting Cloud make?**

**What could you possibly call something, that honestly cannot possibly exist without the other? There can never be a Sky without a Cloud, sometimes thin and near invisible but always truly there. And there can never be a Cloud without a Sky, after all, Clouds could not come into being without the Sky**....

_\--Unfiled Report by Aerona Weylyn. Last Amber Skye of the Weylyn Clan of Wolves._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this is something small. I've honestly hit a bit of a snag. I gained a Beta for my story, but things are going a bit slow at the moment. Timezones, life, and distance have brought things to a bit of a crawl. That and honestly...I could use some ideas or even some help processing my thoughts, on this story. 
> 
> I have the end game, more or less. I know how things will evolve for our precious Skull. I more or less know how this shall end...well, I have a three-way crossroad to chose from. But the journey is becoming more difficult then I thought. 
> 
> If anyone is interested I have a Disord I'm trying to create, where I would love to talk about this Fanfic and where it is going. I would love opinions and feedback. I would love to know the feelings of those reading, and of course converse with those that love our PunkMuffin. And I do say trying to create, as I have no idea what I'm doing and am new to Discord.
> 
> So if you want to help me, or just keep updated as I process, leave a message and I'll send the Discord link. I don't want to cause problems on AO3, as I know there have been issues with people talking on here. 
> 
> If you just want me to update and don't want to talk, I ask you to be patient as you have continued to be. I have a lot planned, and our Skull will never be abandoned!
> 
> -MiharuMiu


	31. Arc II The Vongola Heir: Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eight years ago Skull started interacting with the Varia. Now, with Vongola scrambling to find an Heir; Skull has been forced to pull away...and his precous Cub has been suffocating as well.

Skull couldn't stop the whimpering sigh that escaped him even if he wanted to. He turned his head enough to rest his cheek on the table he had collapsed on. Oodako had escaped his grasp some time ago to hunt down some food. He could hear the cooing squeals of some minions as they fought to be the one to bring Oodako a snack.  
  
He couldn't blame Oodako though, it would seem he had been lost in his miserable memories for some time. Remembering and reminiscing...some were unpleasant like when he thought about Checkerface and memories of his past... some he had enjoyed reliving, meeting his Cub and adventures with the Varia.  
  
Still...the reason why he had been lost in memories was what made him so miserable.  
  
It would seem Reborn-Sempai was once again moving onto a new student. The poor kid...  
  
He was leaving for Japan and had made sure to have his Lackey take care of all his errands before he left.    
  
The Espresso was never good enough, the Tiramisu was weak, no Skull those shoes weren't Onyx Black they were Slate Black, no Lackey that shirt wasn't his proper shade of yellow, no Lackey Reborn would not be travelling by anything but First Class rearrange the flight system if you must...  
  
Once again Skull had been a miserable failure the entire day. To be honest his Character was so defeated and depressed that he was feeling it as well. And that annoying little brat!  
  
Bianchi or whatever her name was... separating her from Reborn had not been pleasant, nor had becoming the one she focused her rage on. Skull had never disliked any shade of purple, it was his shade, after all, his calling card. He was the Purple of the Rainbow. But now...now there was a shade that made him cringe at the thought.  
  
After being the target of her...skills, and really? Poison Cooking, was that all she was capable of? How was Skull still merely the Lackey?  He could at least shoot, damn it! And even as a toddler, he had been better than her at stamina and strength...  
  
Not that Skull wanted to complain of course, but even his lacking skills were better then the walking disaster that girl was. And Reborn-Sempai didn't end her day with a Chaos shot!  
  
Speaking of...  
  
Skull whined once more remembering the stinging pain of Sun Flames. How was it that something that was supposed to Heal, was so painful? And he didn't even deserve it this time! He had kept the girl from following Reborn, from getting on the plane and killing his last student like he had been ordered.  
  
And what did he get?  
  
A Chaos Shot to the face and a warning to work harder Lackey, it shouldn't have taken you that long to redirect a teenager.  
  
It wasn't fair!!  
  
Skull sniffled, feeling pathetic and sorry for himself. He deserved it! He was allowed to sulk! Anyone that had to deal with Reborn-Sempai's sadistic self-had the right and he would fight anyone that said otherwise!  
  
Ughhh...Skull was truly beginning to agree with the character about Reborn at least. That asshole was breaking even the true Skull behind the Mask. Skull briefly wondered if this was the beginning of some strange form of Stockholm Syndrom or something?  
  
I mean he didn't like Reborn...but it was almost as if he was starting to accept the Sun's actions and even welcome them... At least the Sun was consistent in his behaviour with him. It even relieved Skull as much as it dragged him into a pit of self-pity and disappointment.  
  
Verde was a pendulum of actions and reaction, and Skull knew to never expect anything from him. And Fon was consistent but unreliable. His behaviour could always be counted on, but his actions very... As for Colonello and Lal....there was nothing consistent about that Tsundere and her fanboy.  
  
Another whine escaped him as he thought about the Varia and Viper. He missed them deeply. It had been a few months since he had last seen them.  The Vongolo Decimo had been getting twitchy with the deaths of his blood children. That added to his age was making things difficult as the Succession was on everyone's mind.  
  
There was a scramble happening to find someone to take over, and to those that remembered the Cradle Affair, Xanxus was on their minds in response.  
  
That was causing anxiety and restlessness among the Varia, but also causing apprehension within Vongola. Meaning that once again Vongolo was watching Varia extremely closely, pressuring them and monitoring them.  
  
Skull's involvement was able to slip under the radar in the past, but that wasn't possible at the moment. It had been a simple thing to help Viper get the Varia back under control and fix the broken Cloud Team. That wasn't thought about too deeply.  
  
However, with things stable once more, and the Cloud Team once more functioning and as loyal as they should be there was no reason for him to be involved any longer. After all, Skull had his own Famiglia and his Combat Forces to handle. Not without revealing Skull's actual connection to them, or that he was an unofficial member of the Varia.  
  
Unofficial because without Xanxus's final say nothing was actually Offical or accepted. He wasn't bonded to Xanxus, wasn't even an acknowledged candidate.  
  
So when Timoteo started sniffing around and asking questions again, Skull was quick to slip out.  
  
Skull wasn't even officially part of the Varia just yet, no way was he allowing the old man to find some way to cage and trap him. Perhaps when Xanxus returned and could offer Skull, if not acceptance or interest, a form of protection it would be different. However, until Xanxus was released, Skull couldn't take the chance.  
  
Skull might like the idea of Xanxus, he might even feel a connection to the trapped teenager. However, there was nothing to ensure Xanxus would even welcome him, let alone be willing to place him under his protection. He was not going to allow his freedom to be stolen away because of a possibility or the idea of it....he couldn't...  
  
No matter how much he wanted to stay...  
  
And with all of that going on he hadn't been able to visit his little Cub in years! As the Clan took its position and once more gained control of the Clan's in Ireland his cub had been out of his reach. Not even Lussuria or Viper had been able to get ahold of her.  
  
Since his precious Cub had come of age she had been pressured and trapped within the politics and traditions of her people. Most of it was expected, as an adult, she was to take full control of Weylyn and stop letting her Beta's do most of the work.  
  
There was more training and making sure she knew everyone she was responsible for. Weylyn were the only Offical Clan in Ireland, but there was subfractions and small Tribe's that she was now responsible for. She had to know her people and prove that she wasn't above taking them down.  
  
Some of the things though caused Skull nothing but heartache and pain for his precious Cub.  
  
Marriage was one thing. It would seem that the Clan's were very strict in their traditions. And while they weren't a Patriarchy it wasn't a Matriarchy either, they expected a King to be at their Queen's side. A symbol of peace and unity of Ireland and its people.  
  
Skull had been the one to try and hold his panicking broken little Cub as she slipped into near insanity at the thought. Distraught and haunted by the thought of belonging to anyone. Once more the actions and memories of that damned Sky caused his Aerona to suffer.  
  
The thought of someone touching her making her physically sick and terrified. It was only after Skull had persuaded her to drink until she passed out that she calmed down slightly at all.  
  
Skull had been aware his Cub was terrified of people, but he hadn't known just how deep the scars had been. No wonder she ended up misdirecting his 'talk' with her into an adventure of Heists and sacrificing Goats and Roosters....  
  
All this time the damage had been festering and messing with her mind. Twisting and creating a paranoid mess of fear and pain and terrified hatred...  
  
To be truthful Skull almost went to Bermuda-Nii and see if he could override those parts of her as he had done for Skull.  
  
Still...it didn't matter. The Clan's were still trying to arrange marriages and form alliances. It had only been Aerona's Beta's that had kept her safe so far, but lately...  
  
Skull couldn't help but bite down on his lip ring. His Cub's Betas... It was obvious that they were loyal to her of course. But he also knew that they were bitter and becoming resentful due to her refusing to Bond with them. To even consider or reach back for their flames.  
  
Skull knew exactly how those in the Mafia functioned. He knew how they reacted when they were scorned. And his Cub....his poor Cub could do nothing but scorn them, even if she respected and admired them truly...  
  
Everyone and everything broke eventually. And Aerona's possible Guardians had been shifting and cracking for some time.  
  
Skull wasn't an idiot, even his Character had noticed that they had been interfering more and more lately before the silence. There had been more emergencies, more meetings, more interruptions when Skull spent time with his Cub. They had been trying to remove his influence...trying to...  
  
They had been trying to imprint on her. Forcing her to rely on them and become dependent. They had slowly started backing away from their absolute defence of her and had been slowly trying to manipulate her... Leaving her to depend on their assistance and help when she couldn't handle things. Trying to be the one that she would notice, the one that could stand by her and lead her to victory...  
  
Skull knew his Cub was brilliant. Her fear of people made it difficult to manipulate or hurt her emotionally. She was aware of it from the beginning. She had allowed them to cage her in so that Skull would not be dragged down with her.  
  
Another whimper escaped as he thought about his precious Kohai...  
  
She was suffering all so he wouldn't have to. She had lived her entire life caged in some way, and had accepted that the Clan was yet another Chain bound around her. She knew Skull wouldn't be able to handle it. The same way he had bounced back and forth between Weylyn, Caracassa, and Varia for 8 years. He was a true Cloud....while she was still a Sky bound to the Earth, as her Cloud's Faded and vanished away.  
  
Skull clenched his teeth biting through his lip. Rage flared through him before despair and misery slowly snuffed the flame out. His own misery reminding him of his Cub's.  
  
Neither of them was truly free, and this just reminded him of it. Reminded him of his Role in this Game. And although he would love nothing but to take the Varia or his minions and save her somehow...  
  
They were both trapped in their positions at the moment. No matter how she suffered or felt, she was the Queen of her Clan. The Mabh. She couldn't leave or abandon them even if she wanted to...she wouldn't. Aerona had finally stood up for herself, her existence...she would never back down. even if it completely shattered her.  
  
Skull couldn't help but clench up tightly into a ball at the thought. He wasn't exactly in a good place either. Still bound to the Caracassa and to the Arcobaleno. The despair swarmed grabbing his mind and causing him to clench his eyes tightly.  
  
He was weak...so, so weak...


	32. Arc II Vongola Heir: Minions, Lion Cubs, Truth, and Revolution.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Minions start to plot! Meet the Squad Leaders, Skull's Elite Minions that run everything. Also, Viper and Tsuna remind Skull that he's not completely alone, while the world continues on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone that has given me support or has joined the Discord. I'm grateful for all of the help and advice and ideas I have gained from everyone. I hope you continue to be patient with me and continue with this work of mine. Decisions are being made and a group of amazing people are helping me answer my questions or find direction. Just being able to talk about the series, it's characters, and your own thoughts have helped immensely and as such, I am once again moving forward. 
> 
> Thank you to all of my readers and supporters!
> 
> {There might even be some collab work to come ;)}

"Skull-Sama has been very down lately...he hasn't smiled or laughed at all..." Killian Oden said softly with a worried expression on her face.

 Her twin brother Dorian, winced slightly as he leaned forward on the chair he was sitting on backwards, arms crossed over the back. "Worse he hasn't taken his helmet off either. He never keeps it on off-duty..."

"Oh no... What should we do?" Rune Axelsson questioned as she looked up from the new gun she had been looking over. It was common to learn to take them apart and repair or clean them efficiently. Rune had a habit of never thinking her speed with up to par.

"Lady Aerona hasn't been around in so long...if she could come I know he would be happy!" Jade Calvet declared as she looked up from her Eclair with a smile. It was well known all of Skull-Sama’s forces knew and respected Lady Aerona. She was well loved by his people.

"Ireland's been radio silent for some time, while the Fight for Unity is happening I don't think Aerona-Sama will be able to arrive any time soon.” Hirai Hisako stated formally with a tone of deep sorrow.

The spoken words caused most of the group to slump more as worry and despair surrounded the group. As the Elite’s they were responsible for a lot of things, each had their own Squad and duties to perform. Their greatest one, however, was Skull-Sama’s happiness and safety, after the Caracassa’s commands of course.

“Che...Fight for Unity...Damned Savages, only they would start a Civil War over Alliances and creating peace. Soviet has nothing on them…” Zimin Christove growled as he crossed his arms tightly in annoyance. Coming from a war tore homeland, he knew all too well how foolish the people could be. So obsessed with their freedom, they never noticed they were the oppressors.

“That’s not polite Zimin, don’t call them Savages. Lady Aerona is trying to fix the problem at least… She’s the only one that ever tried...” Lanai Kaloni spoke softly from where she had been reading at the table.

“Despite everything they are lady Aerona’s people. The Clan’s have always been bloodthirsty and violent, it’s why outside of assassinations, Mafia only calls on them for Famiglia Wars.” Cyril Kanas explained with a blank expression.

“Just think...we all know Skull-Sama is depressed and suffering….how do you think Lady Aerona is doing? Trapped with a group of people that want her position and power…” Mido Essa said as he winced. Skull-Sama had spoken about the challenges and trials Aerona was constantly going through. Not to mention the Elder’s were still trying to control and influence her. At least Skull-Sama had them.

Fabio Lefave remained silent before sighing deeply as he glanced around the group. “Regardless.. Skull-Sama has also been called to Caracassa a lot lately...being forced to do the missions he’s not fond of. With Lady Aerona trapped in Ireland, the Black Market has picked back up and you know what that means.” He said with a frown.

The group was silent once more. That meant missions involving drugs, human trafficking, and organs… The ones that Lady Aerona had taken on for Skull-Sama and had put on restricted control with the Alliance between the Famiglia and the Clan. Of course, the Carcassa would take advantage of her being gone.

Killian sighed as she slumped deeper in her seat. “What are we going to do….” She questioned once more.

A moment passed as they all looked to one another and nodded. “Mammon.”

* * *

“EHHHHH?! REBORN-SEMPAI IS YOUR NEW TUTOR?!” Skull screeched in shocked horror into the phone at his ear.

“Eh? Skull, you know Reborn?” Tsuna asked after his ears finished ringing. He hadn’t expected that when he started talking to Skull about the weird baby that had shown up...then again… Tsuna blinked slowly when he realized that was why Reborn had felt oddly familiar. He felt a lot like Skull. Aerona and Skull both said he wasn’t a normal baby...so did that mean Reborn was like him? “Eh?....Senpai?” He questioned a moment later, realizing what Skull had said.

Skull couldn’t stop the cold chill of fear that slid across his spine. Reborn was with Tsuna….Reborn was with his and Aerona’s Lion Cub… Why was Reborn with Tsuna?! A strong flare of anger filled him. **REBORN** was with _TSUNA_?!

Skull’s instincts kicked into overdrive. His Cub’s Cub was in danger! Nothing Reborn did was sane or safe! Skull knew more than anyone, better than anyone what a Monster Reborn truly was. To have him around sweet innocent Tsuna of all people! He wanted to attack. To rage and rip Tsuna away from the monster and protect him! But…

But it was fucking Reborn!

Skull wasn’t weak...not as weak as the Arcobaleno and world thought he was. Still, even he knew going against Reborn would have to be a Life or Death thing...and even then he wasn’t sure he would survive. World’s Greatest Hitman wasn’t a simple or exaggerated title.

“Skull?” Tsuna questioned in concern as the other remained silent.

“Ah! Oh, ummm…” Skull stumbled over his words slightly. He thought he was gone! He thought he had some peace with Reborn out of Italy. No! Instead he was more worried and terrified than ever. Not of Reborn no, but for Tusna. If Reborn was there, that meant Tsuna was the Vongola Heir. That meant he would be dragged into this hell hole, the insane horrible Mafia world that would never allow him to escape. And he couldn't protect him...from anyone else, yes...but Reborn?

“Reborn-Senpai, is a comrade of mine….but he’s waaay higher up...so he’s my Senpai and he’s in charge…” Skull explained slowly almost hesitantly.

Tsuna could feel his face dropping to expressionless. “He beats you up too, doesn’t he?” He questioned in a dead tone. The short sniffle and hysterical laugh was all the answer he needed. Great...just….great… If even Skull was afraid of this insane baby, the only one he might be able to rely on was Aerona…

Tsuna sighed. He hadn’t been able to get through to Aerona for a year now. And before that, she was almost always busy. He had received a gift on his Birthday as always, but Skull had admitted she had been busy back home. Tsuna knew Aerona and Skull were involved in shady stuff. But he had never been interested or cared to ask. Now with Reborn and all this Mafia nonsense, he finally found the puzzle piece that had been missing. And if the Mafia had kept Aerona busy for over a year….

Skull must be losing his mind in worry. Tsuna knew how badly he freaked out when one of them got hurt, imagine him not knowing and just coming up with things on his own? Tsuna winced at the thought, he could only hope things got better soon…

Looking up and realizing his bathroom break was up he gulped lightly in fear.

For all of them….

* * *

 

“Oh? So that’s where he’s vanished off to..” Viper mumbled slowly with a frown on their face. Reborn always made a big deal of the things he did, so everyone knew he was going to Japan. Obviously Reborn wanted as much trouble to follow him as possible. Not only for his own amusement but to help ’train’ his new student.

What else was expected though? Reborn thrived in Chaos and Insanity, rather he was feeding it or just a spectator. Of course, he would announce where he was going before her did. He wanted everyone that might hunt him down or amuse him to follow. It had been a headache back when the Arcobaleno first started.

You would think the Civilian Cloud caused problems? No, Skull was a saint compared to the problems Reborn brought around. The poor Cloud at least cleaned up his own messes, and unfortunately the other’s messes as well. Viper couldn’t remember how many times they had watched in disgust as Skull was forced to clean up after the others.

Complain that he was a Civilian, but leave him on body disposal…. Back then they all disgusted Viper, only the thought of wealth the fame of completing the trials had kept them around. Now, they were thankful… Despite this curse and all of the problems, horrible fate ignored, they had finally found a place they felt… Well, maybe not safe at, but content.

They had also found Skull…

Viper looked up from the glass of Strawberry milk they were holding. Viper could see Skull was extremely panicked and worried about the Vongola Candidate. Shifting their head glanced in the direction of the crystal holding Xanxus. Knowing the Wrath he was probably going insane with anger at the moment. They would honestly bring in some civilian untrained child to replace him? Viper knew about the adoption and the so called ‘Bloodline’, but seriously?

Viper almost shuddered at thinking about how pissed off Xanxus would be once he finally woke up. Regardless… Turning their attention back to Skull they watched as he paced back and forth, chewing harshly on gloved fingertips.

“Tsunayoshi is the Cub you and Abyss adopted?” Viper asked after a moment of thought.

Skull blinked suddenly, rapidly as if awakening from a dream. “Ah, yea…” He said with a pouting sulk. “Cub and I found him all alone one night in Namimori. He told us no one celebrated his birthday and about how he was No-Good.” He said with a slight scowl. “The mother tries, but she’s naive and absent-minded, the father’s useless and neglectful. Poor kid has the worst opinion of himself…” Skull mumbled in annoyance.

Viper allowed a small smile to cross their face.

Skull’s mask was slipping….or rather he was letting it down around them. It was becoming more and rarer for Viper to see the obnoxious and arrogant loudmouth fearful crybaby. No...Skull was thoughtful, he was obnoxious of course that was simply Skull, but it was in a cruller and more cynical way. The fear was absent, as was his constant screeches and demands for attention. He was still arrogant of course, but it was a more realistic way…

Viper was starting to see the Darkness that hid within the so-called Civilian. Regardless of the Rage and Insanity, they had witnessed… There were times Viper saw true flashes of a sadist within Skull.

Moments when he acted arrogant and boastful when someone failed. There was the spark of enjoyment and amusement at someone else’s suffering beneath the arrogance. The violence that he swallowed down, turning excitement to hurt, to attack, to be hurt into a play on fear. Whining cries that were truly hiding cruel laughter and amusement.

His helmet that hid the fact that he was always watching, always studying, always staring with a distasteful or bored or annoyed expression no matter his act...or a twisted expression of amusement and cruelty that was sick to see….

Viper didn’t know everything no… They still had huge blanks in Skull’s past, moments he wouldn’t answer about or acknowledge existed. But...Viper felt they were getting to know the real Skull… Or hopefully so… it could always be another mask...

Skull huffed slightly as he placed his hands on his hip. “What kind of parent just….I mean he doesn't even bother. He shows up and expects to be treated like….like a king or something and then leaves without doing anything useful. Cub had been getting more and more twitchy about the parents. Said that something was wrong with the mother… Whatever it is, it has Cub avoiding the house and shivering for hours if she went near it…” Skull exclaimed, slowly losing his voice as sorrow and misery filled him.

Viper sighed gently. Viper wasn’t very close to Skull’s cub, but they did enjoy the girl’s company. They couldn’t imagine how it must feel for Skull. Bond wise they might not have fully connected, but Skull and his Cub were dependant on one another. To see them pulled apart…

“You miss her.” Viper stated simply.

A whimper of misery and despair escaped the Cloud, like an abandoned animal trying to find its way home.

Viper watched as the Cloud seemed to curl in on himself, his shadow almost flickering. A frown pulled at Viper’s lips as they floated closer. “Mou...Skull.. I’ve been keeping an eye on the Clan’s for you.” Viper admitted begrudgingly to Skull. A slight smile returned to their lips as the Cloud perked up in attention.

“Ireland has been Silenced since the declaration of Alliance was announced. Your Cub has been working very hard... She has been making progress with uniting the Tribes and Clans. Violence has definitely gone down since she started pushing to purge the entropy that Ireland is. The bloodshed has also slowed these past few years since she was crowned. The Fight For Unity is the only thing standing in the way from what I have heard.” Viper explained as they stopped beside Skull.

“Civil Wars never last forever Skull, and ones in the Mafia and Underground are even shorter since they are restricted. Your cub is locked in a political mess, and is having to fight traditionalists and bigoted veterans… Be proud of her…”

Skull sniffled as a few tears fell down his face and a wide grin crossed it. His cub...his precious cub was so brilliant and smart and amazing! Of course, she would reach victory!

* * *

“Ah! Skull-Sama is smiling again?!” Killian squealed happily as she clapped her hands together.

“Yea, his helmet is off too. He’s been all smiles and rainbows since he came back.” Dorian said with a slight grimace. Skull-Sama was really too damned pretty for his own good… It really caused a lot of serious problems...like identity issues.

“Ah! I’m so happy Mammon was able to help him! I was starting to really worry.” Jade said with a cheerful smile as she giggled lightly. Lanai nodded with hum, as she continued to read her book.

“At least we don’t have to worry about Skull-Sama anymore although…” Cyril paused for a moment as he stared down in his coffee with a frown.

“Aerona-Sama is still trapped within the problems of Ireland. The bloodshed outside the Land has stopped, but within has become quite a battlefield.” Hirai spoke with a regretful tone. There truly was nothing that could be done to help the girl.

“More like a damned war zone… The fields have been drenched with blood. It’s only Ireland’s policy to only fight on Clan lands that have kept Civilians safe, and the outsiders content. However, that can only last for so long.” Rune said with a growl as she ripped the roll in her hands apart viciously.

“Da...The violence will spill over eventually and then there will be a serious problem. You know Vongola will have to get involved as Weylyn’s counterpart and when that happens-”

“The Varia,” Fabio announced with an ominous tone, cutting Zimin’s growl off.

“If the Varia are sent to handle Ireland, they will be sent to deal with the Weylyn and that means…” Mido gulped as he paled, and a prayer escaping his lips to Ra.

Fabio nodded with a harsh expression his face, scars playing to make it almost frightening. “Varia would be sent after Aerona herself…” He announced numbly, as a chill filled the group.

Killian couldn't help the whimper that escaped as she grasped firmly onto her twin's hand, Dorian’s expression hardening in anger.  

“Without Xanxus-Sama there to question the command or refuse it, they would have no choice to obey,” Hirai spoke sadly.

Zimin wasn’t the only one to curse in anger, just the loudest.


	33. Arc II Vongola Heir: Skull, Tsuna, the Cloud Arcobaleno.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull is kept up to date with the Chaos Reborn has brought to Tsuna's life, and realizes how useless he has been...

“And the weird boy won’t stop falling me around and is calling me 10th. And now...now there’s this kid in a cow print onesie throwing pink bombs everywhere. Pink bombs! Not only that but he shot Kyoko-Chan with one of those bullet’s, he shot her! And now everything in my house is poisoned! I can’t even eat snacks anymore! No matter how many times I say it, no one will believe me about not wanting to be in the Mafia. I mean, I should have a choice right? This is my life, right?!” Tsuna rambled getting more and more hysteric as he went. 

Skull couldn’t stop the sound of sympathy that escaped him as Tsuna rambled on about everything that had happened lately. He knew just how insane the Mafia was when you were forced into it. And wasn’t that just a kick in the teeth.

Reborn was soo disgusted and made such a big deal about him being a Civilian. Constantly complaining and telling him to leave, and reminding him he didn’t belong there. And suddenly it was okay?

He was going to force Tsuna into the Mafia rather he wanted to be involved or not. Something Reborn had always looked down upon and thought of as disgraceful.

It made something poisonous and thick shift in his stomach.

Oh, so Tsuna was good enough because of his blood was he? Reborn didn’t even know his past, what he had been through. He had been involved in the Mafia long before he even knew what it was.

And he was an outsider because he hadn’t known? Because he hadn’t been aware of everything?

And suddenly Tsuna was good enough, simply because of his asshole father? Not that Skull was angry at Tsuna, no...his poor little Tsuna was the victim in all of this. No, he was enraged and disgusted and filled with hatred...because this was just further proof of what Reborn thought of him.

Just how low he was in opinion and mind. 

No, it wasn’t even the situation with Tsuna that bothered him. Skull knew Vongola, the poor kid would have been dragged in eventually, at least he wasn’t being forced into like Xanxus had been…. And look where he ended up? Betrayed and trapped in fucking ice. 

No… What enraged him was Reborn’s actions, what Tsuna said he was doing. 

He was involving Civilians. Not just Tsuna, or his mother, no….but innocent girls, and school boys Tsuna went to school with. People that had absolutely nothing to do with it. He didn’t care that Viper said they looked eerily like the original Guardians, that was nonsense and ridiculous. 

Even if they were their damned reincarnations that was no reason to drag them into this! Reborn was treating this as seriously as always, he would  **_NEVER_ ** fail a contract, but he was also treating it like a damned game!

Skull took a deep breath and clenched his teeth tightly, as memories flickered through his mind of the mansion the Arcobaleno had stayed in. He could still hear Tsuna rambling but it was distant. Instead his mind was filled with misery and despair as he was forced into the role of errand boy and Lackey, constantly being attacked and mocked and….

Reborn...

* * *

Tsuna sighed in regret as he finally hung up. He knew Skull sometimes became lost in his mind and unresponsive. So when he had heard nothing but silence he had waited, but obviously Skull was too far gone. That’s why he usually called Aerona when he needed to vent.

Not that he didn’t appreciate Skull! Skull was honestly amazing and completely awesome! However, Skull also had a tendency to overreact and freak out just like Tsuna himself did, which meant sometimes they both ended up panicking and hysterical.

Aerona always handled things much better than either of them, and usually helped them calm down...sometimes through force. She was...very terrifying, but he missed her. He missed Skull too. Normally he would have visited by now, but… It seemed Skull was avoiding Reborn for now.

Not that Tsuna blamed him, Skull sounded horrified by being near him. But he still missed the only reliable…’adult’, pressance that had been in his life. Sure, he loved his mom, and she was always there but….sometimes Tsuna felt like a ghost around her, or a very misbehaved pet… And other then the meals and the housework she wasn’t very...reliable…

Skull and Aerona had been there though whenever he needed them for the past eight years. Coming all the way from wherever they were when he was lonely, and always, always doing their best to make him smile. Skull loud and obnoxious and proud and pulling stunts, Aerona a quiet force that reminded him to take care of himself and that it didn’t matter what anyone thought or said about him, always reminding him that they would always be there.

They would never abandon him.

Like...well, honestly like the family he had dreamed of as a kid before his father vanished and mother started becoming more and more lost...

Suddenly he could hear the loud crying of Lambo and could smell something that made him feel like he was dying on the inside. Bianchi was an addition he definitely didn’t want. He missed it when food used to be safe… Wait...she was back that meant… Tsuna looked up to see Hayato dashing away from the house green and shaking.

Actually it felt like no one was truly reliable anymore…

* * *

Skull sighed loudly as he collapsed upon the desk in his office. He lay face down on the aged wood for a few moment before a whine escaped him. He didn’t know what to do...he didn’t know what he could do. God damn Reborn!

Skull whined loudly again as he turned his face, resting his cheek on the wood as he looked around the room. The walls were covered with maps, hasility written strategies and schematics covered almost every inch of the place. Drawings of buildings and vaults and underground tunnels and maze like structures.

This is who the Cloud Arcobaleno was. A strategist that could get into anything and anywhere he wanted. A master thief that could calculate the situation at the blink of an eye and was unbeatable when it came to aerodynamics and physics. He was responsible for every mission Caracassa succeeded in. He had the blueprints to every main organization and building important to the Mafia.

His eyes drifted along the wall until it landed on the blueprint of Weylyn castle. Beside it was tapped a bloody and war torn group picture. Aerona...small, scarless, and terrified yet vicious Aerona... Tiny compared to the hulking figures surrounding her, and only bigger then the Cloud Arcobaleno on her shoulder.

His cub had been 15 when the Siege happened, fragile and broken and full of jagged pieces. Even in the picture she looked more sad than anything, lonely and depressed.

His mind drifted back to the supplies she sent for his motorcycle on his birthday. Even without seeing one another in years, she always remembered. Skull knew Tsuna still received his gifts as well, and if they were lucky they would get little notes or letters. It reminded him that despite how busy she was she still remembered them, she was still trying.

And what was Skull doing? Sulking and whining!

A huff escaped Skull as he angrily pushed himself up and started pacing his desk. Alright...so he couldn’t do anything about Reborn, that was fine. There was nothing he could do about his Cub either, she was strong and could take care of herself. So what could he do?

Skull paused as he crossed his small arms, once again missing his impressive height… Skull tried to think of something as he tapped his foot in annoyance on the desk. Sure he had a lot of missions coming up, and the Black Market was starting to spill out of the Underground…

The least he could do was try and restrain the damage. Unlike the Mafia, the Underground knew the Cloud Arcobaleno on a deeper level. Working for them for the past 20 years or so, meant they had seen a darker side of Skull.

They knew the true Skull...or rather they knew his character beyond the Mask he wore. They had seen closer to the true Skull, as he had allowed to slip so long ago. The Arcobaleno that never failed his missions, who left bloodbaths in his wake and not just destruction. They had seen him bring in body parts and trade off drugs. 

They also knew the only thing Skull refused to be involved with was children. A number of the Underground had realized that after they continued to Vanish away when brought in. Everyone knew Skull did not accept children being harmed. It was something the Underground amused themselves with when the Mafia tried to give him contracts that dealt with children.

It wouldn’t be long before a new shipment for sale would arrive after that.

No the Underground knew the true Cloud Arcobaleno, in their minds at least, and he was not someone they messed with or questioned. The only one more terrifying than him was the Wolf Queen. No one stood against her. She kept an iron fist of control upon them. Which is why things were full of Chaos and entropy with her control gone…

Skull blinked and allowed a grin to cross his face. His cub wouldn’t be happy that her Rules were being disobeyed. It was only his duty as her Senpai to...force them back in line wasn’t it?

Ah! But first! Skull jerked his gaze over to his Calendar. It would be Tsuna’s birthday in a few weeks, he would have to get started on that!

He had to call in a favor with Verde!


	34. Arc II Vongola Heir: Verde's troubles and Tsuna's Message.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull pays Verde a visit, bringing headaches as always, while Tsuna is starting to accept things as they are. Also Nana remembers the night things started to change.

“VERDE~!”

Verde will deny with his last breath the shudder that crawled up his spine as hearing Skull suddenly cooing in his ear. He will deny the heart pounding panic and fear that filled him for that split second, he changed the locks! All of them! Again! Nor would he ever,  **ever** admit the near painful flush that inflamed his body at the Cloud’s body cuddling up to his own and  **_clinging_ ** .

Verde wasn’t comfortable with people, and emotions were useless distractions. He wasn’t used to touching people, unless it was for science, and would honestly prefer not too. Humans were filthy and you never knew what germs or diseases they carried. He didn’t need to be clingy with others, or take comfort in body heat. It would just distract him.

However, no matter how Logical he was; he could not stop the embarrassed almost longing pang that filled him when he had physical contact with others. More so when it was more than a simple brush or touch of the hand. Full body contact always had him momentarily losing himself in panic or this painful heat that almost seemed to spark from his flames….

It **did** _not_ help that Skull was a very physical and intimate person. Verde had noticed it when Colonello and Reborn started getting violent with the Cloud. Skull never turned away from their attacks, instead turning into them as if in acceptance, as in welcome. An almost anticipating spark in his eyes mistaken for fear. It was quite frankly disturbing and was what made him first question the obnoxious Stuntman’s sanity.

Watching more he had been quick to realize the Cloud never turned away from any physical contact, rather it was violent, comforting, lustful, or platonic. He actually sought out to have as much contact with anyone he could. Despite the distaste he had for and distance he kept from Luce, Skull was always the first to coo at her stomach and nuzzle it when allowed.

The next thing that Verde learned was that Skull had no care about personal space. Oh, he was at times completely polite and proper, always saying thank you and please and using his manners. However, Skull also couldn't seem to realize that hovering and cuddling up to others wasn’t...normal...or unwelcome at times.

More so he seemed to seek physical contact in different ways with different people.

Luce was only touched on her stomach, Colonello and Reborn were avoided unless they were hurting him. Fon was always treated with blanket cocoons and nuzzled while they drank tea and ate sweets,  **[Fon wasn’t any help with it though and actually enabled his actions, coddling the youngest of the group, with head pats and warm smiles]** , Lal was on the receiving end of arm punches and hand grabbing. Viper was followed by the Cloud who seemed to cling to the Mist his hand usually fisted around their cloak, and Verde?

Verde had  **This** …

Verde was the victim of full bodied tackles and cuddles form a clingy Cloud that seemed to do nothing but nuzzle and cuddle him with a purr. Verde had started picking it all apart multiple times. Only to come to a stop at how Illogical it all was, and Skull’s very distracting habit of hanging off of him. Obviously each personality had Skull reacting differently. As if he knew what was allowed and what wasn’t.

Which is why Verde had no idea just why Skull was constantly clinging to him and mother henning him! Any moment now the Cloud wou-

“Verde~” Skull whined as he wrapped his arms loosely around the scientist. “You’ve lost weight again. You haven’t been eating have you? You have dark circles to so you haven’t been sleeping either~ You need to take care of yourself Verde! Here, I’ll go make us some soup and-”

Verde stared blankly after the Cloud as he wandered off. Thankfully the red had faded from his skin leaving the resulting headache from the rush of blood. Verde signed tiredly as he reached up and rested his head in his hands. With Skull here he would get nothing done. The insane Cloud would smother and coddle him until he seemed healthier…

He had learned it was better to just deal with it. If he tried to resist or refuse him Skull would just cling tighter to him and… Verde’s eyes fell helf closed as a feeling of mortification and numbness filled him. He still remembered the bath incident… Verde couldn’t stop the shudder this time as that sicking warm feeling crossed his flesh again.

Skull truly was the most troublesome subject….

* * *

“Body Armour?” Verde questioned as he finished the soup Skull had force onto him. It was actually pretty good, some type of thick stew with thick pieces of meat and vegetables and roots. He wondered where the Cloud had learned such a recipe? It definitely would have come from a farm rich rural area…

“Ah, yes!” Skull declare brightly. “You know, like how you modified my suit..” Skull said pulling at the reinforced biker suit Verde had altered for him. “I don’t think Lion Cub would want a bodysuit...and i’m not sure about a biker suit, although I want one made anyway!” Skull declared pointing at the unimpressed Scientist. “For now though, I was think maybe some kind of vest? Or...I dunno, just something that could stand up to a tank!” Skull finally exclaimed in panic.

Verde blinked slowly with a sigh as he rubbed his forehead. “And why would that other Cub of your’s need something that could withstand a Tank?” He questioned, exasperated. He was thankful for the meal, but now that he had eaten all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep.

Skull was suddenly very sharp eyes causing Verde to freeze. “Reborn-Senpai.”

Verde was still for a few moments before another sigh escaped him. “That would do it…” He muttered in annoyance under his breath. The amount of collateral damage alone that Sun brought was a nightmare, and that didn’t count for the pure Chaos and insanity that follows him.

“Your Cub is being taught by...Reborn?” He questioned as a few things connected in his mind. So Skull’s Lion Cub was the Vongola Candidate…. Yea, that would send the annoying Cloud into a panic faster than anything.

Skull was nodding rapidly as Verde sat back with a sigh. Honestly...Verde owed the Cloud too much to refuse any requests he had, which were rare and usually interesting at least. Skull had been the one to make sure he didn’t do something stupid like starve himself. After the Curse happened, Verde hadn’t been too bothered. Until he realized the huge setback this would make in his experiments.

Suddenly having some limitations as a Child, meaning that unfortunately his brain couldn't process as fast as it used to or retain what it did. His hands had been clumsy and holding his tools had been difficult. There had been a time he even thought of just ending everything. Verde was a Scientist, what good was he if he couldn't practice his science?

It had only been this annoying and obnoxious Cloud that had thought to check on him. Skull was the fastest of them to adapt to their new bodies. Not surprising as Clouds were extremely adaptive and could change and adapt much easier than anything else. It careking  wasn’t long after Skull found him in his state of depression that the other started taking care of him.

Visits to check up on him, meals ordered and paid for sent by those insane minions that refused to take no for an answer, phone calls to ramble on about nothing disguising that the Cloud was checking his mentality. If he snapped too soon the Cloud was there within moments, if he sounded too tired a meal would appear and a Minion would lock his lab until he slept.

It was to the point now that Verde automatically slipped into a comfortable mode of contentment. The Cloud had become a calming balm that let his body know that it could rest now and would be taken care of. His brain would slowly start shutting down as soon as an actual meal hit it and he would be asleep not too long after.

Almost as if Skull had conditioned him to respond in such a way.

Verde wasn’t stupid though and knew he probably owed the Cloud for his very life… He couldn’t seem to pull back as the others had, and still treated his body as if it was the adult it had been. Foolish yes, and extremely stupid. However, he still could not seem to wrap his mind around the limitations he was now forced to endure.

Which meant, more often than not he never denied the idiot anything he asked for… Thankfully only Viper was aware of Verde’s predicament. It would be too much hassle if the others learned just how indebted to the Cloud he was. And how willing he would be to go against them for him. Then again...it wasn’t that impossible to think the same could be said for Viper and Fon.

Fon had obviously liked Skull from the first meeting, not mocking or being outraged like the rest of them had been. Viper had always looked out for the Cloud, and originally Verde hadn’t cared either way. True, he found Skull fascinating as a subject. Even more so that Skull didn’t actually mind letting him run tests on him, but he hadn’t cared if he was Mafia or Civilian or anything...as long as he didn’t bother him.

Neh...how much that had reversed was a bit beyond him.

A deep sigh escaped him, bringing Skull’s panicked rambling to a halt. Honestly Verde didn’t care what Reborn was up to, or how he was tormenting the new student. Reborn was beyond his understanding anyway.

“Alright, alright. I can make your cub some resistant clothing. It still won’t stop whatever mental trauma Reborn will cause though…” He agreed with an aggravated huff.

Skull’s gasp of joy was almost enough to steal the annoyance away from him, and that bright shining expression that was crossing his face, making his eyes shine and sparkle wa-

“Oh, Verde, your the best!” Skull shouted happily as he tackled the Scientist.

Damn it...there went his stupid heart rate again, and everything was starting to burn. As the Cloud nuzzled into the Lightning he ignored the sparks he could almost feel at the contact. He didn’t need any more problems of troubles right now...Things were already hard enough to understand. Like that his blood was trying to boil him alive and he had to stop from clinging back to the stupid idiot...

Neh...how troublesome…

* * *

“EH?! You’re in the hospital Tsuna-Kun?!” Skull demanded in a panic.

“Ah...yea, I ended up having to participate in Reborn’s Birthday celebrations and ended up stabbing myself with swords as a magic trick…”

Skull gulped as he shuddered slightly in remembrance. Reborn was inconsistent with the traditions he followed, but he always seemed to take the most obnoxious and make them impossible to deal with. Skull remembered the times he had been forced to entertain the sun in some measure of Horror or embarrassment.

Thankfully the Sun had backed off a bit after that Mission they had gone on years ago, but that might have also been due to Skull escaping with his Cub when Reborn’s birthday came around. Aerona always made sure there was something important to do around October. And always, always when it fell on a Friday. He would not spend Friday the 13th with Reborn!

“So I ended up in the Hospital for my own birthday….and I was worried no one would remember…” Tsuna said with a weak chuckle.

It jerked something in Skull’s chest, making him want to run to the Lion Cubs side and cuddle him… “Tsuna-Kun you kn-”

“That you and Abyss would never abandon or leave me. I know.” Tsuna cut off with a fond tone to his voice. Skull could just imagine the boy smiling as he spoke. “I know you both are really busy, you always have been. I know that. But I guess...I got used to you showing up all the time. It might have only been for an hour or two but I...I came to rely on those moments because…” Tsuna trailed off embarrassed.

Skull waited as he listened to Tsuna take in a deep breath.

“Because I didn’t feel alone when I was with you...and I wasn’t No-Good Tsuna anymore. I was just Tsuna with both of you… And...I guess I become dependant on it. Since you both have been gone I...I guess I really understand everything you have done for me. Even now, both of you are worrying about me and trying your best to be here… Even though both of you are lonely too.”

Skull bit his lip suddenly to stop from bowling. What was this… Tsuna had always been sweet and kind but….when had he started understanding the feelings of others? He had never really cared before.

“All three of us...are lonely in our own way...I mean you had your minions and Aerona her Beta’s, but… they aren’t what either of you needed. They still aren’t because they don’t know the real you, neither of you. And that means even with them around...you are both all alone. Only, I’m not alone anymore…” Tsuna admitted with a smile.

“Sure my life is a mess and everything is messing up but… But I have friends now… Gokudera, Yamamoto, Haru, I-Pin, Lambo, Sasagawa-Sempai, Kyoko-Chan, even Reborn and Bianchi, I guess. Although they annoy me and cause me trouble...I know that they would never really leave me either… So it’s alright. I miss you and I am lonely in a way...but I’m not alone… Not like you and Abyss are right now.”

“Tsuna-Kun…” Skull called numbly. It was strange...it was almost like he was speaking to a new Tsuna… Tsuna...he was growing up… It was strange. Sure Skull had been with Aerona as she grew up, but she had never been a child to begin with. Tsuna though, had been bright lonely eyes and a sad smile, making excuses why it was his fault and no one else’s.

It honestly made Skull sad that he wasn’t there to see it. Sure it hadn’t been as long as Aerona, Skull had seen Tsuna not long before Reborn left for Japan after all, but still…

It was long enough for Tsuna to start growing up without them…

“So it’s alright… I’m not alone anymore.. And even if your not here, I know both of you are still with me.” Tsuna said with a grin.

Skull sniffled slightly as he tried his hardest not to bawl. He did try hard to be the cool older figure for Tsuna after all. But...he really didn’t have to worry about Tsuna at all did he? Tsuna was moving forward on his own, and he was creating his own family as he went… Skull was happy that he and Aerona would always be a part of it, but he was also happy that Tsuna didn’t need to rely on them anymore.

Their little Tsuna was so lost anymore…

Sniffling slightly, Skull reached up rubbing the few tears from his eyes. “I’m really happy for you Tsuna-Kun. You sound like you have some amazing friends!” Skull declared cheerfully. “And you’re right! Cub and I will always be there for you too! So don’t you forget us!” He declared.

Tsuna laughed as he leaned back in his seat. “Don’t worry I could never forget either of you! You both took care of me for so long, I will miss you and want you here no matter what! And besides…” Tsuna trailed off as a haunted expression crossed his face. “I could never forget all the things Abyss made me terrified of…”

Skull didn’t even try and stop the cackle that escaped him.

* * *

Tsuna smiled fondly as he stared down at the gift that had been delivered to him. Skull had explained what was so special about the undershirt he held. It looked almost like something an athlete would wear, and appeared quite stretchy. He hoped he would never have to learn if it could withstand a tank though…

A shudder escaped him at the thought. Then again with how things were going, he wouldn’t be surprised. Still…

Picking it up Tsuna smiled as he pulled the material lightly it was really light, so it wouldn’t get hot in the summer, that was always a plus. Maybe it would survive those damned bullets so he wouldn't be naked?

Near the cracked door Nana smiled slightly, as she stepped back. Turning she leaned back on the wall beside the door and smiled faintly. Her Tsu-Kun was happy...and that was all that really mattered to her. It was obvious Reborn wasn’t here to help her Tsu-Kun with his grades, there were only so many explosions she could ignore.

This Mafia game Yamamoto-Kun spoke about did worry her… But she had a feeling her Tsu-Kun would be just fine. He had gained a lot of very important friends lately… Still she would always be grateful to Abyss-Chan and Skull-Kun for doing what she couldn't. 

Even more she was happy that Abyss-Chan cared enough about her Tsu-Kun to ignore the bad feeling she got from interacting with her.

It was a bit worrying… Abyss-Chan seemed such a strong and brave gi-woman now… What could it possibly be about her that made her uncomfortable?

Nana blinked and shook the thought off. Regardless, despite her own feelings Abyss-Chan had still kept in contact with her. That just proved the kind of people her Tsu-Kun attracted to himself. A small giggle escaped her, at the pure joy she felt. She looked down to the present in her hand as the fog seemed to slip back in.

She knew she wasn’t what her Tsu-Kun needed.

She was absent-minded and for something reason nothing was ever….important enough to her. Things that should have worried or scared her were too easily forgotten. Outside of her love for Iemitsu and Tsu-Kun, everything else seemed weak and unimportant. Even when she scolded Tsu-Kun on his cleaning and studies, she would find herself taking care of the mess herself and forgetting about it.

Her Tsu-Kun needed someone more reliable then she seemed to be… That’s why she had been so happy when he came home with those gifts, even if he tried to hide the cell phone. A part of her had been screaming that her Tsu-Kun could have been hurt, stolen, he was with strangers… 

But that part was ignored as she set about to getting him ready for bed and tucking him in. Instead she was grateful for the quiet voice that pointed out someone had remembered. Someone had cared about her Tsu-Kun to try an make him happy...

It was that quiet voice that always broke through the fog of nonsense and simple things her mind was consumed with. That voice that seemed to agree with the other she ignored, but was calmer and more positive…

Blinking as Nana came from her thoughts, she looked around confused for a moment. Tsu-Kun is in the hospital again.That quite part reminded her. She blinked rapidly before nodding. That’s right. Tsu-Kun got his present from Skull-Kun. That meant…

A light fluttering had her looking up from the present in her hand. A smile crossed her face at seeing the strange Purple and Orange striped bat that she had come to know.

“Ah, Vlad-Kun I forgot you were there.” Nana said with a giggle as she looked at the bat waiting at the door frame to her son's room. Her eyes moved down to the package it had delivered. iT always amazed her to see the cute little thing carrying large packages. More so her son’s terrified reaction every time it arrived was rather amusing. More so that he would calm down when he realized just which bat it was. And amused smile crossed her face, as she could see from the bat’s shifting it enjoyed her sons reactions as well.

“Let’s go visit Tsu-Kun then.” She called happily. Opening the door and letting the bat fly in. Her giggles soon covered by her sons high pitched scream.

“HIEEEEEE!”


	35. Arc II Vongola Heir: Questioning Vongola and the Underground.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna starts to understand just how dangerous everything was, and question who Skull and Aerona are. Skull meanwhile has begun cleaning up the Underground by making a move on the Trader's Auction.

Tsuna stared down in a mixture of fear and anticipation at the gift Aerona had sent him. Obviously if Skull was in the Mafia she must be as well right? So it really wasn’t a surprise that she would obviously know that he was being forced into it as well. Then again…

Tsuna blinked as he thought about it.

It did make sense really….Aerona had always had this terrifying feeling to her, as if she was dangerous, and she was always so serious and calm as if nothing ever really bothered her. And she was so respectful and polite, even to people who didn’t deserve it..

Tsuna slumped in depression. Honestly, now that he could compare them...she and Reborn seemed kind of alike. Only Aerona didn’t try to shot or beat him up.

Tsuna blinked as the memories of their first meeting ran through his mind. She had tapped him roughly on the head to stop crying, and then shattered the milkshake glass in her hand. All the while she hadn’t flinched or blinked as she pulled the glass out while Skull panicked. Then she had bought him all that stuff without even caring about the cost. There had also been the bullies that ran away from him not long after that day either…

Really...it made sense…

Still...what did she expect him to do with all of this?

Tsuna once more picked up the magazine and glanced through it, more like a catalogue. It seemed to have reviews and information on every type of weapon imaginable… Tsuna had seen knives, guns, swords, brass knuckles, crossbows, ninja weapons, concealed, nunchucks, stun guns, and even weapons from other cultures he had never heard about…

It was honestly a bit amazing.

Tsuna then turned his eyes onto the strange black card that had come with the package. Lifting it up he turned it over again. On the front was Tsuna’s name, and the back had a black bar and a number to call for problems. Aerona had told him to buy whatever he needed with it and when he called he couldn’t seem to get a balance, just that it was active…

Not to mention the actual weapons she sent.

It was nothing very special...but Aerona had sent most of the smaller weapons for personal defense. The note had just said to find what was comfortable and keep the rest as backup. Gokudera had been by so Tsuna had asked him about them. The boy had been impressed with what he had and said they were High Quality… Then he had screeched and fangirled over the book for a long time.

Apparently it was a subscription to a rather picky Weapon’s Trade. Only high members in the Mafia or World Governments could get them. Tsuna might be the Vongola Candidate, but even he shouldn’t have been able to be accepted.

Honestly Tsuna had not known what to say to that, only that it had been a birthday present. Gokudera then thought it had been from Reborn, and after the other denied decided the Vongola 9th himself had done it. Once again reassuring Tsuna that this meant he was definitely going to be the 10th now. Although that had the opposite effect and depressed him honestly.

Tsuna was really starting to wonder why Aerona and Skull were so strange about her name.

Actually it was starting to scare him.

If even the Vongola Heir couldn’t get a Membership, then how had Aerona?

Just who was she, really? And Skull for that matter? That undershirt was not something that was normal, as Gokudera had been amazed about it as well. Although Reborn had gotten scarily silent after he had studied it. Almost as if he was thinking deeply about something…

That was scary too…it was never a good thing when Reborn got that strange glint in his eyes. 

Tsuna sighed, as he sat the card back down and looked over the weapons spread out on his bed. Reborn had admitted it might be a good idea to learn something, and Tsuna briefly wondered if maybe he should give the other’s something? 

I mean Gokudera was fine, and Yamamoto never went without his bat, and yea... Sasagawa was a weapon. But what about Haru and Kyoko? What if they ever got in trouble again? Like that time with I-Pin’s bun and Reborn bullet?

Tsuna reached up rubbing his hair roughly. “Arghh!” he shouted in annoyance. This was all insane! He shouldn’t be worrying about his friends being attacked! He shouldn’t be worrying about giving them weapons! 

Haru might understand, she was always talking about being a Mafia wife, but Kyoko-Chan wouldn’t! What if she thought he was strange or weird or dangerous if he tried to give her a knife or something?

“Why is my life so complicated!” Tsuna demanded, as he fell back to lay on his bed. Sighing he rolled over with a groan. 

It was complicated… Obviously he was happy, it meant that Aerona was still watching out for him, still cared. However, it also meant that she thought he was in danger if she was willing to send him this stuff. He was in danger, but… Aerona never did anything without a reason…

Did she know something he didn’t? Did that mean she was worried about him, or maybe scared? And if something could scare Aerona, who was the scariest person he had ever met, just how bad was everything with the Mafia and Vongola?

* * *

 

“Now this won’t do at all…” Skull said cheerfully as he glanced over the the collection that had been brought to the Auction House.

“I know for a fact that a number of these organs are too small to have reached the age requirement. You know need special permission below the age of 25. Those 3 poisons were declared Forbidden unless they carried the Weylyn mark. That fake lacks the Flame Signature of the Mabh. And as for these…” Skull muttered holding the close handed manacles and thick metal collar.

Skull could feel his eyes had gone straight from the glowing purple that had consumed him to the crimson purple mixture of  **_RageRageRage_ ** .

“I know for a fact...these were supposed to be destroyed by Giotto Vongola’s command…” Skull continued in a cheerful tone, as he dug his heeled boot into the man's jaw. The echoing snap and crack of it shattering eclipsing the scream he released.

“Flame sealing devices are forbidden by all Mafia, not just the Weylyn Clan.” Skull mumbled in disgust as he sneered down at the man with a fanged grin.

“Meh...I wonder how the Varia would react to such a thing?” Skull questioned the silent room, taking delight in the whimpers and moaning cries of fear that were released from those still conscious in the room.

Skull’s eyes trailed along the Auction room. A thick pool of blood was already reflecting the lights of the room, trailing along the floor and walls. Skull didn’t kill anyone no, he was not a murderer, no matter what. That didn’t mean that they wouldn't die on their own… Skull had his moral’s after all, but he was only human...

Those that had been brought here for body parts were a sobbing mess in their cages. It was sad to see, but not that uncommon. Normally they were checked over, made sure that they passed the Requirements.

However, Skull could see quite a number of them were Civilians...and that was something that only happened with Weylyn's permission. Usually those that owed more then their lives to the Mafia. And those below 20 or that were 'innocent' were not accepted either.

Still, they should be in the human trafficking Auctions not the Trade. 

Those that was conscious enough to move had huddled against the wall furthest away from him. Skull looked at them with a bright grin, amused as they cried and tried to hide away from him. He probably looked a bit scary…

He could feel the crimson sliding along his suit, trying to cling to the black and red leather he wore for this. His hair was a mixed combination of the crimson blood and his signature purple. While his makeup was badly smeared with it.

Hmmm, he probably did look scary….but they really shouldn’t have tried to fight him when he said they would be taken into Caracas’s custody.

Ah...then again it had been a long time since Skull had to be violent. He would admit he had been a bit sloppy… He was usually much neater then this, unless he  **_Snapped._ ** But he hadn’t...after all...Skull only snapped over personal things...none of these little monster’s were anything personal to him.

He would get scolded so badly if anyone would see him now… Fon would be  _ very _ displeased with the mess he made and Reborn-Senpai wouldn’t be happy with how sloppy he had been. Neh...Aerona would probably be annoyed too… He would have to make sure this place was cleaned up…

Skull wouldn’t say he had become weak, no….but he shouldn’t have had to try at all with the ones here. Monster’s were usually the most Cruel and the most Vile, but they also were usually the weakest… Too weak to be respectable.

No...the only Monster’s that actually mattered and or  _ were _ Powerful knew to follow the rules. They enjoyed their jobs after all, why chance it?

These ones, they were just pathetic little **_Prey_** , waiting to be _devoured_ **completely** …

Eh…. Skull would have to start taking care of this himself more often. He couldn’t become weak after all…

He didn’t want to be shoved into one of Colonello and Reborn training sessions again. Poor Tsuna had been suffering under that Sadist’s hand… At least for all Reborn was a cruel Monster he wasn’t completely heartless. He couldn’t possibly be a Tutor if he was, even one from Hell.

And although he adored her, he refused to go through one of his Cub’s. Brilliant and Amazing she might be, his Cub’s weak and odd sense of Pain meant that training with her was near suicidal. Normal humans could not survive it, and only those with no sense of Self-Preservation would be able to handle.

Skull looked down in amusement as the man whose head he had been standing on started choking. “Neh...The Great Skull-Sama told you to surrender to him… It’s your own fault this happened you know.” He explained as he finally jumped off of the other.

“Skull-Sama!”

Skull blinked and looked up to see two of his Elite's standing with their teams behind them. A smile crossed his bloodied face as his eyes brightened. “Fabio, Zimin, you’re here already?” He questioned as he strolled over towards them.

Fabio bowed slightly as Zimin gave a salute. “Of course, Skull-Sama. Awaiting your command.” Zimin growled out ruffly.

Skull could smell the faint scent of Cigar around them, so they must have been on their break when he called.

“Ah, thank you.” He said with a bright grin. “All of these little Monster’s here have violated the Underground Agreement and Oath. They have broken several of the Nobility Sanctioned Rules. They have also tried to illegally forge the Crest of Weylyn, and pass of products with the Seal of Approval.” He said tossing a careless wave behind him.

Fabio’s eyes sharpened in disgust. “Turncoats and traitors…” He hissed through clenched teeth, stepping forward and looking coldly upon the room. His hand pressing his glasses up upon his face. “We shall take care of these worms, Skull-Sama.”

Zimin just grinned fearally as he stepped up beside his fellow Elite. “We’ll leave enough of ‘em to get charged at least…” He promised with savage glee.

Skull nodded as he reached up to try and smear some of the blood from his face. “Ah, The Great Skull-Sama shall return to headquarters for the day. I feel quite filthy at the moment. Contact me when you’re finished.” Skull called out as he walked from the room.

“Yes, as you Command Skull-Sama.”


	36. Arc II Vongola Heir: Aerona, Tsuna, and Skull.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Divided and separated as they are they think of one another often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am thankful to everyone that has continued with this story. The support has been great, but more so I am happy I can continue to give you a story you enjoy to read. 
> 
> I will admit, this story grew out of my limits and intentions, LOL. As such I never expected to get involved with all of the Characters as deeply as I will be and have. As such I am thankful for all the help and suggestions I have received in both Comments and the Discord Server. 
> 
> One of the Discord Server Members has even become my Collaborator and is helping me flesh out Characters, and understand their actions and thoughts better. We have even planned to create some Combined work for this series. POV's of other characters during certain events. Or small moments that effect and change the Characters in my Universe. They are even writing Chapters for Character's I have a lot of trouble and just can't get a grasp on. 
> 
> They helped a lot on the last few Chapters and especially the ones to come next. I hope you continue to enjoy this story and share you thoughts with me!
> 
> Also, question. It's been brought to my attention that Shipping is both thought of and something that is being wondered about. 
> 
> I never planned for any Pairings in this story, then again I only planned a 10 Chapter adventure with Skull so...I'm flexible. I would like to know your opinions? ^^
> 
> Also, just how many of you think about this Xanxus/Aerona pairing, because it has honestly shocked me! Because the requests, support, and opinions about it has made me question it myself. What do you think?
> 
> I hope to keep you all informed as I continue! ^^

Glowing Amber orange eyes opened slowly, almost lazily. The pale face scattered with scars pressed into the desk it had been laying in as the figure shifted. Slowly, those eyes trailed across the room, finally slowing to land on the paperwork scattered around them.

Bruises beneath the eyes relaxed, as the eyes slipped shut once more, before pulling as they opened again. A pool of crimson hair surrounded the figure as they slowly pushed themselves off of the desk they had passed out on.

A sharp flinch shot through their body as the taste and feel of **BitterSourStale** of Lies coated her tongue, slipping down her throat and pulling into her stomach. It was only missing the **SharpCrisp** tang of Betrayal… Still...it was enough…

The figure hunched inward slightly as the overwhelming damp air pressed down on her it was **SaltySourBurning** … She could feel the Cloud of Darkness that was spreading within her Castle, her home, what was her Sanctuary…

Her eyes glanced to the side, landing on the floor where the light played beneath the door. The familiar shadow reminding her why it was so hard to breath lately. Breathing shallowly, she finished pushing herself to sit fully in the chair behind her desk.

Her eyes locking once more on the paperwork and folders surrounding her. She must have...passed out… Her eyes trailed towards the antique clock. Last she had check it was 3:15 Am….is was 4:37 now. She must have passed out…

Reaching out she lifted up her pen, moving the next paper to rest beneath her. “Bitter..” She mumbled softly, slowly. “Bitter…” She repeated as she finished her signature, moving onto the next form. “Bitter…” She whispered as her eyes traveled over the paper. “Bitter…”

The darkness seemed to eclipse and wrap around her as she stared blankly ahead with a dazed expression. She could do this...she was fine...she couldn't let anyone else deal with this. It was her problems...her mess...Her responsibility… Only she…

“..Bitter…”

It was better this way…

“My, my you seem to be wearing yourself down quite well.”

Aerona snapped her eyes up to stare in annoyance at the figure before her desk. “You have let yourself in again I see…” She mumbled in annoyance as she pushed herself to lean back in her chair.

The man tilted his hat to her with an amused smirk, as he stood poised before her. “Why, little Wolf Cub. You know I am always welcome within the Weylyn Territory, as dictates our pact.” He mocked gently, reminding that while she might be Queen she was bound to the Clan’s Oaths.

Aerona couldn’t help but grit her teeth in annoyance and anger.

“Why Bermuda-Kun would be most displeased that you knew where I was...and what of your little Cloud Arcobaleno? I must say I am surprised that he found his way within the Clan, a miscalculation on my part...he was the most uncontrollable piece. I wonder what he would say if he knew...”

“Enough.” Aerona stated before releasing her breath with a hiss. “What do you want, Atlantian?”

“My, my never one for games are you? How boring you are… You shouldn’t go throwing that word around so lightly.”

“Should I call you Checkerface then, how about Man with the Iron Hat, it's all the more ridiculous. And unfortunately you’re not Kawahira at the moment, and I would much rather speak with him.” Aerona explained as she reached up to rub at her tired eyes. “I don’t have time for games…” She muttered.

“Yes, things are falling down around you, but this is normal for reformation. Humans do tend to favor fighting against change when it would make them all the better for it… And yet they crave change more than anything…”

The laugh was mocking and insulting and was filling Aerona’s mouth with a tainted slimy texture she didn't care for at all. Even the Darkness was better than this being's twisted morals.

“Again, what do you want?” Aerona questioned once more.

The being shifted shooting her an amused smirk, as he placed his hat back on his head and held his cane. “I was curious, about the Rings you hold.”

Aerona’s eyes narrowed, glancing briefly at the ring on the being’s finger before glancing away. “Again?” She questioned.

“I’m curious.. You currently have no Opal in your little group of Beta’s. I merely see no reason why you won’t let them out of your control.”

“For the fact that I don’t want them in your control,” Aerona replied back cooly, gaining a twisted smile in return. “Or anyone else. My Clan has had those Rings since Giotto first met with us. It was part of our alliance arrangement. You are aware of this, more so you are aware that Weylyn is the rightful place of all those Rings.” Aerona finished with an annoyed huff.

“So no, I will not hand over the two that were returned to us as they should all have been.” She said glaring slightly at the one upon his finger.

The being laughed once more shifting the ring from her gaze. “My, My, little Cub, you could be called quite greedy don't you know?”

Aerona huffed crossing her arms. “I could care less if I’m Greedy or not. Their mine. No, I don’t have an Opal to wield or use them, I’ll acknowledge that.” She agreed, watching him shift almost as if to take a step forward.

“However,” She snapped, getting an amused chuckle as he stopped. “That’s because I haven’t found anyone to give them to. If and When I do, it was will be someone **I** chose to give them to. The last time the Rings were simply passed around was a disaster. War always comes with their misuse. Excuse me, if I would avoid that, by keeping the two I have under my control.”

The being tilted its head, before bowing in an exaggerated sweep. “You are ever correct, Little Queen. The Hell Rings do belong to your Clan, make no mistake. And they will bring War if misused that I agree. I find it amusing that you think you alone are strong enough to protect them however… I hope that you are as powerful as you pretend. It would be an annoyance to swear in a new Amber to our Oath.”

Aerona clenched her fist as the mocking figure finally faded away after giving its warning. And it was a warning. Something was going to happen… And it would not be something pleasant. But what could she do about it?

Sighing deeply she allowed herself to sink back into her chair once more. Things were starting to become a bit too unbearable.. Aerona blinked as the sound of fluttering wings reached her ears. Looking up Aerona blinked Artic blue eyes as she turned to see her Familiar returning.

“Ah, you’ve returned Vladimir.” Aerona greeted with a small smile holding her hand out for it to cling to. “Did you have fun visiting Tsuna-Kun?” She questioned, listening to the chirping noises she nodded along reaching up to pet it gently. “I am happy to hear that he seems to be fine…” She replied as the bat tilted its head in her direction.

Aerona closed her eyes as she allowed herself to take comfort in her Flame Companion’s presence. It made her miss Oodako…

Aerona blinked slowly, at the loud crashing explosion that suddenly shattered the silence. Rolling her head until she could look out the window she saw that once again the sky was swallowed by smoke and flames.

“Again…?” She muttered with an exhausted tone. “I’ll have to hunt them down sooner then later it would seem…”

* * *

Tsuna sighed in relief that everything had calmed down finally. That is after Bianchi finally left him alone and stopped trying to give him her horrible food. Really...he couldn’t understand it. Did she just not care about the obvious pain they fell to? Or was she really that delusion that she thought her feelings made the food safe?

Then again, she wasn’t any worse than the rest of them. Why was it that he spent so much time alone, only to have the friends he finally gained be completely insane?

Still… Looking at the group enjoying the Sakura Viewing a smile crossed his face. He supposed it was fine… He was getting used to dealing with how insane all of them were. More importantly…

A wide grin crossed his face as he glanced down at the shirt he was wearing. The shirt had survived Reborn bullet! So that meant he hadn’t been completely naked [Except his boxers, and that didn’t make sense} this time. Instead he had actually been able to keep his shirt this time. He would have to remember to thank Skull!

Also…Looking down at the black baton that he had used against Hibari his smile grew. He would have to thank Aerona as well. Tsuna still didn’t feel good using weapons, but this time it had proven to be a good idea. It seems him learning was a good idea after all.

He wasn’t sure if he would use anything like a sword or a gun… But these smaller weapons were okay, he guessed…

He wondered...how was she and Skull?

* * *

 Skull hummed as he watched the Chaos within the Black Market. He had been feeding his Flames into everything within it for an hour, multiplying and copying objects. Setting everything to chaos as people ran off with copies, and fights broke out.

The Underground wouldn’t be looking for new supplies for some time. They also would be too focused within to drift out in the open again.

Skull covered the cackle that wanted to escape. He had to admit...he felt much better since he started bringing everything back under order. His minions had also enjoyed all the work they had lately. They had been a bit bored lately, and the Underground was giving them plenty of exercise and adventures. It also was giving his Elite’s a chance to have some fun.

While Weylyn was locked up, Caracassa was dealing out the punishments in their stead. The boss was also more than happy to grab up whatever affects and tribute’s he could. The Greedy old man was so content Skull hadn’t been sent on very many Conquering missions lately.

Of course there would still be the MafiaLand Mission coming up soon. By this point it was simply too much of a tradition to stop. And this year the Main forces would probably be gone, do to the recent death of the Famiglia. Of course, that still left Colonello but well….

Colonello was becoming more and more twitchy when it came to Skull. A result of his precious Cub dressing up as him and hunting him. Skull had been extremely shocked when Aerona told him about Female Skull. More so when he saw the effect she had on one of his tormentors.

It was beautiful.

Every April Fools she hunted the jerk down and tormented him. Sometimes with Oodako, sometimes with Skull’s Minions. But always by morning the evidence would be gone, and nothing remained but an unstable Colonello. After years, everyone thought it was a prank that he continued to fail at.

For Skull it was a reprise. Colonello usually left Reborn to deal with him now, and pretty much left him be. It had been a constant battle between them. The Cloud had been claimed Reborn’s Lackey first, and he was very serious about being the only one to handle them.

Skull could remember a number of times they fought because Reborn was annoyed with Colonello’s interference, or he was in a sentimental mood and wanted to be the only one to mess with him.

That is unless he was forced to face him and then he could only handle Skull as long as his helmet was on. The moment he took it off Colonello became a paranoid mess.

It had it’s pros and cons he supposed...more Reborn to deal with, but so far the pros outweigh the cons.

“Skull-Sama.”

Skull blinked in confusion as his Elite Lanai came to stand beside him. “Yes, what is it?” Skull questioned with small frown.

“You have a call at home.” Lanai said with a small bow. “It’s one you will want to take.” She explained with a small smile.

Skull blinked in confusion before nodding. Glancing around the Black Market once more he turned and left the Chaos behind.


	37. Arc II Vongola Heir: The Duties and Responsibilities of Weylyn and Estraneo.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skull finally gets to talk to his Cub! Who explains what he didn't know of the Clan and about a Famiglia that isn't as gone as it should be.

“Cub?! I can’t believe it’s you! Are you alright, are you okay?” Skull couldn’t help the automatic rambling he fell into the moment her heard Aerona’s voice over the phone line.    


It had been _sooo_ **long** since he had been able to speak to her, hear her… He had almost forgotten that quiet and bored tone molded into the perfect cultured pattern of politely reserved. A normal person might find it intimidating, or irritating, or conceited, or arrogant… But Skull didn’t! No, this was his Cub, and he knew she was so much more than the polished facade she wore.

“Ah, Skull-Sama. I apologize for the silence, I did not intend it to last so long.” His Cub replied, sounding so regretful and hurt that she had caused him pain. His precious little Cub!

“No, no! It’s fine! The Great Skull-Sama knows that his Cub has been really busy with the War. I’m just happy to hear you are alright. I haven’t been sure if you were alright or not, and for some reason your Beta’s haven’t told me anything when I get a hold of them.” 

“Ah…” Aerona replied with an awkward pause. She paused for a moment to chew on her lip lightly, the sky thick with smoke and the ground covered in rubble. Reaching up to push her hair from her face she smeared the blood that was across her face, annoyed that she had forgotten it was there. 

It caused Skull to blink, something wasn’t his right. Of course his Cub paused a lot when she spoke, second guessing her thoughts and the words she would say. This thought...this sounded painful. Skull could feel the misery and despair even through the phone line, causing his hand to clench around it.

_ ‘Just what was going on over there?’ _

His Cub never hid anything from him…

“Cub…” Skull spoke hesitantly.

“It’s...nothing, Skull-Sama don’t worry about…” Aerona answered with a very uncertain response.

Skull allowed a frown to cross his face as he leaned back in the high back chair he had on his ship. “If you say so… How have things been Cub? I know the Fights of Unity have turned into the War. I have also heard rumors about the Mafia world being unsettled by how long it’s lasted. I think they may plan to take measures against you…” Skull explained through clenched teeth.

If it came to that he knew where his loyalty lay. Screw Vongola, or Arcobaleno, and even Varia, his Cub would come first. Even if he had to admit defeat and give up the Game itself…

Aerona actually blinked slowly in shock. She hadn’t even considered how the rest of the Mafia was viewing things. A miscalculation on her part that was mostly due to stress and exhaustion. “Don’t worry it won’t come to that. Vongola depend on Weylyn too much… They might declare to take measures against my Kingdom, but they would never actually oppose me. At most Varia would be released to help take care of those opposing me.” Aerona explained iwth an amused expression.  

“Due to the Oath’s sworn, Weylyn is beyond Vongola or even Mafia’s reach. Not even Bermuda-Kun could punish me, unless I was directly involved with a Mafia Famiglia. And since everything is within the Clan’s...I’m untouchable in this.” Aerona explained.

“EH?!” Skull exclaimed in shock. “But..but...you're always talking about following the traditions and rules of the Mafia world?” He questioned. He knew that Weylyn was separated from the Mafia world of course. After all no one even questioned a 15 year old girl taking over the Clan. While Skull knew most Mafia families waited until their Heir’s were at least 18 if not 20.

“Ah...Well, obviously I respect the Mafia and obey their Rules. And Weylyn’s Traditions and Guidelines pretty much fall under the same Rules as theirs. The Weylen have always Respected the Vindice, and we obey and follow their rules out of respect…” She explained.

It was why she took anything Bermuda-Kun came to her about very seriously. It was also why she hadn’t been too concerned with asking to see their Chains. Shy yes, and uncertain, but she didn’t hold the fear for Vindice that the Mafia Famiglia’s held.

“Also because Weylyn hold Order and Balance on an almost sacred level. Meaning we have similar views on Justice and Obedience as they do. As I am a member of Order in the Mafia, it is expected that I agree the Absolute Order the Mafia World has. However, we aren’t actually Bound by their command.” Aerona mumbled as she reached out turning a body over with her foot.

Skull could feel his jaw slowly dropping and was quick to snap it shut. “But..But..” he stammered.

Actually this...made sense and answered some odd questions Skull had. Was this why Viper had told him to pay no mind to the whisper’s in the Mafia world? Had assured him that they would never strike Aerona down? Also Bermuda-Nii had repeatedly told him that Aerona’s mess was her own to deal with.

Despite Weylyn being one of the ‘Dark’ parts of the Mafia it was never treated with the fear or disgust that the Caracassa was. They were allowed at MafiaLand, and they had an Alliance with Vongola who pretty much shunned the Darker Famiglia’s as beneath them.

And Skull knew Weylyn had a lot to do with horrible things, they were responsible for the Underground. And the only one that had power above Weylyn in the underground were the British Nobility and the Monarchy.

Aerona explained that is why she was known as Queen in her Land.

There was no official crown in Ireland, but her position made her an equal to the Royalty in England, at least Status wise among the Mafia. Aerona herself answered to the Queen of England when it came to matters of the Underground, while Aerona was the one that ruled it physically, and in that stance they were Equal. A Queen with an alliance to the Queen, fellow Rulers. At least outside of the Civilian World.

In the Underground the English Monarchy created the Laws, the Russian Union set the Rules of Trade, and the Weylyn enforced them and Carried the Seal of Approval. It was why Weylyn respected Vindice, because they carried out the same duties with the Mafia.

Weylyn was also the only existing Tribe that had come before all the others did. They were there before the Monachy, the Union, the Vindice, or the Mafia.

Leaving them the only true Neutral Territory.

Or at least that’s how it should be.

Realizing the truth Skull understand just why this War was such a concern, such a problem to the rest of the Mafia. Weylyn weren’t supposed to have power struggles. It was simple, the Strong ruled, and they restrained the Darkness of the world. If they were fighting, if the power was unbalanced the Darkness could break free and expose everything to the Civilian World. Not to mention it would corrupt the world as a whole.

Aerona had once told him that the Weylyn worshiped and would do anything for the Tri-Ni-Set...is that why?

“That doesn’t mean we are untouchable completely.” Aerona muttered as Skull trailed off. “My own Clan has their rules and Traditions that I must obey. And I can be punished or erased because of them. However...what truly keeps Weylyn under control are the Oaths we are bound too.” Aerona tilted her head, she was quite sure that this was one of her Tutors...how odd they were in the enemy's territory….

Skull blinked. “Oaths?” He questioned.

“Ah…” Aerona hummed as she thought. “Ireland is a Neutral Territory...meaning that should you bring your problems to us, we cannot interfere, or rather won’t care to. Now should you fall into battle here or happen to be killed by someone that is your own fault. We won’t punish you if you kill ours, but we cannot be punished in return should we kill yours. Ireland is the land of Savages and the strong, only come if you are prepared to die. It is why a number of Famiglia come here for intense Survival training.” Aerona mumbled.

“In return the opposite is not true… Should members of my Clan take their problems outside of our Land, then they fall to Vindice’s Law. Not even I would step in, unless they were on my Command. They can also be punished any way see fit by Vindice or a Famiglia they inconvenience. This...is why I have locked Ireland down and invoked the Oath of Silence. Cutting the Clan’s and Tribe’s off from the world. As long as it remains here...I don’t have to worry about breaking any Vows I have with Russia, England, or Mafia.”

Skull blinked. “I...see…” He muttered.

“It’s also why, although the fighting has been going on for years, Bermuda-Kun has not stepped in. This is outside his jurisdiction, it's not his Territory. He keeps a close eye of course, but he has your people to concern himself with. However…” Aerona paused again, and Skull could hear a faint echoing tap tap of her walking.

“My Oath and Alliance with Vongola, gives them the right to Interfere if they feel something is spirling beyond Weylyn’s control. Or rather, to become involved without punishment they would normally face. The Clan’s and Mafia are separate...but just as if Vongola were to attack another Famiglia unprovoked, they would be punished if they launched an attack here. Thus, the agreement between Vongola and Weylyn was vowed upon that if Vongola thought Weylyn had become a threat...had strayed form neutrality...they had permission to remove the cause.”

“Eh?! But Aerona aren’t you-”

“No, Skull-Sama… Indeed I am a key point to this war, but I am not what has upset the Balance. I am not the cause. Which means, if Vongola does interfere, it would be on my behalf, as long as my own sworn Oaths are unbroken…” She explained. This building was empty as well. My, my, the rats sure scurried fast...

“You’re Oaths?” Skull questioned.

“Ah…” Aerona paused for a moment. “That...is something that will have to wait for another time, Skull-Sama. Just...if my Oath is broken, it will be known. My very Flames will reflect the fracture that would come from forsaking them. So another reason Vongola would come would be to test that… Ah…”

Skull blinked in confusion at the sudden harsh tone in Aerona’s voice. “Cub, is something wrong?”

Aerona was silent for a moment. She couldn’t stop the glare that crossed her face as she stared at a familiar hand purse. She knew that damned thing...had nightmares about it… “I am currently tracking down the cause of this mess at the moment… Those that would see Weylyn ripped away from me and granted to those that did not earn it…”

Skull blinked. “Eh? Did you find out who it was?” He questioned.

Again the silence carried and Skull could feel a moment of Rage surround him.

“I’ve always known who was tearing my Kingdom apart, I had just hoped…” Aerona clenched her eyes shut, along with her fist. Teeth grinding slightly, as she tried to ignore the pain, the memories of fear and hatred and betrayal.

Aerona cut off, and Skull knew that there was more to this then she was letting him know. She was holding back and hiding things again. To protect him? No...it felt… Like she was protecting herself…

“No, although a problem...they are not my problem at the moment…” Aerona finally admitted, her boot pressing down and crushing that silk purse. Listening to the smash and crush from within, before Purple Flames reached down to reverse. To rip apart and minimize and erase in place of propagation. “...it’s those that are using the situation to further their own gain that have brought so much trouble and turmoil. I have many enemies at play right now, but the Estraneo problem is starting to annoy me..."

"Eh?! I thought that was taken care of years ago? The Weylyn destroyed them right?" Skull questioned. He remembered when the Estraneo Famiglia was destroyed, he remembered Reborn rambling about those bullets and how it was best they were forgotten about completely.

"....Not completely..."

"Cuuuubbbbb! Why are you lying to me~? What are you hiding?" Skull finally burst out, unable to handle the silence and vague answers Aerona was giving. Misleading in the way that she gave just enough information to answer, but not fully.

Skull could hear Aerona sigh deeply over the line, the sound of her moving came to a halt. He could hear the familiar sound of her flicking her hair away from her, proving she was annoyed.

"The Estraneo Famiglia didn't need to be taken care of, because it collapsed from within. I had told you of the Experiments and hold they had on the Black Market. Common things for the Darker Famiglia's, really. They weren’t the first that tried to cut our Influence. Their experiments however...That was why my Clan was getting involved at all. Weylyn holds flames in high regard and thinks of them as....more or less sacred...they do feed the Tri-Ni-Set and maintain balance.” Aerona replied with a huff to her tone.

“My Clan has sacrificed and done all they can to help protect the Tri-Ne-Set for as long as our history is recorded. As the power source the Tri-Ne-Set needs, the Clan's of Ireland think that interfering with or altering flames could, in turn, weaken the Tri-Ne-Set or cause it to fracture.... Thus, why finding out about their experiments was something that called to their, our instincts. The fact that they were using children and their own kin....well...that instantly summoned blood-lust..." Aerona paused for a moment remembering the anger and outcry among her people. Children weren’t thought of as special within the Clan’s no, but you never turned against your own Kin. Not like that. The Flame testing just turned the spark into an inferno.

Skull blinked and his eyes widened. He suddenly remembered how weird things had been one of the last times he was in Ireland. "Ah, I remember that the castle was really scary for a while. It felt like walking straight to the guillotine....after watching a Gladiator match."

Aerona gave a huff of amusement that could almost be thought of as a laugh. "Unfortunately, you are not wrong in that description... Regardless, while I was looking into things on my own, preparing the move, the Famiglia was taken care of without my interference. One of the experiments finally broke free and...the end result was expected."

"Ah! So that's what happened? Hmmm, it was never really talked about, I thought it was out of fear for your Clan." Skull muttered, slightly confused. Just who actually knew what happened to Estraneo then? Even Reborn had written it off as Weylyn without question.

"Hmmm, normally when we take such measures it usually is the reason no one speaks about it... Honestly, unless they know the truth, most probably do assume it was my Clan. It hadn’t been hidden that negotiations had fallen through between us...or that they were intruding on our Territory." The tone of annoyance had grown again, causing Skull to chuckle in amusement.

It must have really annoyed Aerona when things didn’t go her way. She had such a perfect track record since becoming Mabh. Something going bad enough to cause blood-lust among her people must have really annoyed her. An inconvenience she would have complained since that meant she would have to take care of it.

"Alright, so it actually was destroyed from the inside. I get all of that, but why are you still troubled by it? And how are they involved now?”

"I'm troubled because whoever took the Famiglia was either sloppy or inexperienced. Those directly involved with the Main Famiglia and the Experiments were killed no doubt... But that was only the ‘Official’ members. And even then they didn’t think about the smaller parts of the Famiglia. My Clan has been taking care of the clean up for the past few years."

"Ah! That's why you've been busy running around lately! I had wondered a Civil War shouldn’t have taken this long~! I miss you very much cub!" Skull said brightly with a happy chirp. That was it then...the reason this War was being dragged out for so long. His poor Cub was being forced to hunt them down, while also dealing with the disputes over there.

"..Skull-Sama....” Aerona mumbled in an embarrassed tone, and Skull just knew she was smiling. Knew it!

“Ah...So we've been taking care of the cleanup, and a number of the remains are quite vengeful... Claiming to be hunting the Experiments or trying to kick-start the recreation of testing they were doing. Needless to say, they have caused me some trouble. The last time I interacted with them personally, they almost close in on the surviving Children, and I chose to step in to take care of it. Unfortunately that has led to them taking part and helping cause the discontent within my people” Aerona finished with another annoyed sound.

“Ah...so the Estraneo are the ones causing the War to take so long then…” Skull muttered to himself. So it wasn’t just that she was hunting them, while she had been hunting them, they had been helping the uprising… Wait… "Children?" Skull questioned.

"Ah...that's correct. The surviving experiments were children... Well they are much older now, but..."

“How do you know about them, Cub?” Skull asked with a frown. And why had his Cub known that the escaped Children were in danger to begin with?

“Ah...well...I told you Skull-Sama I was preparing to destroy them myself… A weak Famiglia that had fallen apart because they only had one use… It felt like an insult they would attempt to interfere with my control of the Underground… So I tracked their base down and went…”


	38. Arc II Vongola Heir: Mukuro, Ken, Chikusa.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once upon a time Aerona met three little boys, and she just might have made everything worse by feeding into their Darkness.

_ 5 Years Ago _

_ Aerona: 20 _

_Aerona was silent as she moved through the buildings that made up the Estraneo Laboratories. “My...you really have fallen…” She muttered lightly, quietly. A part of her felt regret for the Famiglia, but also a deep distaste for them. To build their Famiglia, the Clan around a single ability, no matter how powerful was foolish and pathetic. It truly wasn’t any wonder they were spiraling out of control._

_Bermuda-Sama himself was finding the Famiglia distasteful. He rarely contacted her, after all Weylyn followed the Vindice’s rules faithfully. It was why she had been allowed to replicate their chains of burden… To have him and Jaeger appear suddenly after she had been reading over the problem in the Underworld coming from the Estreano…._

_It had left a thick bitter taste on her tongue once they had finished speaking._

_Weylyn had reclaimed control of the Underground...the Estraneo Famiglia was trying to push into her territory and was causing problems. At first she let it be… After all, the Underground was where the monsters bled, breathed, and bred from… It was a cesspool of Darkness and Cruelty and Despair and it was her responsibility to restrain it. To keep it hidden in the Shadows where it belonged, and couldn’t taint the Pure Skies above._

_It didn’t matter how tainted she became in the process. How deeply the Darkness corrupted and coated her, leaving the metallic tang of depravity and the ashes of death branded into her very skin...._

_Aerona’s eyes glanced up once more. A similar taste that this place gave her. It would seem that she wouldn’t have to worry about having the Clan handle the situation, as Bermuda called it… Seems someone had already made the move…_

_She remembered the bodies she had passed, scientists and doctors in shredded remains, rather their bodies or their minds. The corpses of what had once been children…_

_“Bitter…”_

_Aerona muttered, covering her mouth thoughtfully. It had been a while since she tasted anything this bitter. Not since the situation at that school. However, it should be fading by now.. After all those that had suffered where already gone so why…_

_ Why did she still taste the  **SharpBitter** remains of  _ MiseryPainHatredSuffering  _ sliding down her throat? Why was it still thick and warm as if new? _

_“Bitter….Stronger...” Aerona stopped her eyes distant for a moment, before shifting the the side. Her hand snapping out to grasp onto the blade that had been aimed for her lungs. Her eyes drifted down, locking onto that of-_

_“Child….” She mumbled lightly, with a shift of her legs, her arm was jerking the boy up and spinning him, to pull the blade wielding hand back and away. A clench and twist of her fingers had the hand releasing the blade as her other hand snapped around a pale throat. A pained shout was blocked as the child bit their lip harshly._

_ Aerona paused, unsure… Unlike Skull-Sama she wouldn’t show mercy to children but… This tasted wrong. It was the same  **SharpCloyingBitter** , but there was the  **StaleCold** of Loneliness and the  **SharpCitrus** of Fear, and the  **ThickSalt** of Sorrow. More importantly their was the  **SnappingCedar** of Protectiveness.  _

_ Aerona blinked slightly, her grasp tightening on the squirming form. Aerona tilted her head slightly, as suddenly the  **SharpCitrus** exploded again, mixed with the  **HotCold** of Rage. Although it seemed to be surrounding her rather then aimed… _

_The sudden stifled wordless sound caught her ear bringing her attention up and over. Near the building and crouched around the corner were the struggling forms of two more children. The blond was trying to escape the grasp of the blunette. That is until their eyes met her own._

_ Aerona wasn’t surprised as the  **SharpCitrus** suddenly became heavy and cloying, almost making the taste of peel and rind into a gagging pressure. _

_ Aerona was aware of the Orange glow her eyes were as they stared blankly at the terrified children. She had been releasing Sky Flames since entering this place, the Bitterness coating her tongue had forced them free. She watched as they jerked to a halt, instead cowering away and into each other. Instead  **ColdHot** Ice was starting to burn as Rage exploded upon her skin. _

_ “No! You can’t touch them! Their Mine, I Claimed them! I’ll Erase you!”  _

_Aerona blinked slowly, her eyes suddenly locked onto the strangest eye she had seen. It wasn’t Flames that surrounded that eye, no it was different, what was this… Deathperation….no, Aura… She blinked in confusion._

_That wasn’t something that should be around in this day and age...not since Druids walked the veils of the Paths. Merging Pasts and Lives and calling for the forces beyond. It was Dead, Forbidden…._

_How curious…_

_More so was how unstable it was, numbers flickering rapidly in match with the child’s panicked breathing._

_“You’ll over do it…” Aerona explained with a small frown and sigh, reaching up. The child was suddenly jerking and pulling within her grasp, but she merely placed her hand down to cover that eye._

_She could feel her Sky Flames trying to escape drawn to the Darkness found there but she shoved them away with a vicious snap of her Cloud. She had enough problems with annoying Beta’s she didn’t need to deal with children as well._

_Either Way, her Cloud was all too happy to jump and assist. Aura wasn’t Flames, so she couldn’t absorb them...nor could she seal it, but she could calm it. Honestly a Rain would have been more useful, but she would make do with what she had. She allowed a small thread of her Sky to slip umong her Clouds. Heightening and Merging to try and Revive whatever was within reach._

_“Ah…” Aerona whispered lightly, as she finally reached Mist, cracked and leaking and being slowly consumed by Aura. “This isn’t good.” She said with a sigh, as she finally reached out and shoved her Flames into his own._

_Forceing through the Icy Shadows of Mist and Strengthening with her Clouds, Propagating them and helping them grow with a single thread of Sky. She was quick to pull the connection, shredding her Sky thread when Mist tried to reach to pull. Her Cloud’s though she allowed to slowly ease away._

_Aerona was left with a dazed looking child slumped in her arms, and two snarling ones that were acting as-_

_“Ah, I haven’t killed him…” She explained, for a moment realizing that these children were most likely survivors of the Famiglia._

_It explained the Sour Bitterness filling her throat._

_She stepped forward, watching the two tremble in fear but refuse to move. Releasing the hold on the dazed boy, she stepped back, moving away until they dashed forward to crowd the one she left._

_She watched with a tilt of her head. Obviously the one that had attacked her had some value to them. There was also the restraint revealing they were following orders of some kind...The Aura Boy’s? Perhaps…_

_“Ah…” Aerona couldn’t have hid how awkward she felt if she tried… Children weren’t something she was used to. There was Tsuna-Kun, but he was Tsuna-Kun._

_The glares she received didn’t make her feel any less awkward, nor did the confused look on the Aura boy’s face. Clearing her throat Aerona sighed, and sank down into a crouch before the boys, bringing her arms to wrap around her knees._

_ “I...am Aerona Weylyn, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She stated, slipping back to the formal speech she was still trying to break from.  _

_She expected the response she gained. The suspicious looks from the three as they continued to stay on guard, the blonde looking more and more like a little Wolf._

_...Cute…_

_Aerona shoved the thought away. Obviously she was dealing with little Carnivore’s...cute little Alpha’s…._

_“Neh~!” Aerona sighed. Glancing around once more. “I was supposed to come and kill these guys…” She finally started, slipping into a more formal tone. “However, it would seem they were already ripped apart quite well….” She muttered tilting her head as her eyes landed on the three once more._

_“Although only one of you has been corrupted by Reaping…” She muttered, one of her hand releasing to reach up and point at the Aura Boy. “You taste like Death and the Purity of Darkness…” She finally muttered a few moment later as she continued to watch them. Finally propping her elbow on her knee and dropping her face in her hand._

_“It’s rare when Corruption is not corroded...how strange to still glow as honestly as you do even with how Tainted you have started to become…”_

_“You’re a very strange adult, aren’t you?” The Aura boy asked her after a moment._

_Aerona blinked slowly. “Ah...perhaps...but you are not a normal child are you?” She questioned in return._

_ The smile that came to the boys face was as playful as it was mocking, yet it held no true Malice, she couldn’t taste the  **StingingSour** bite of it. “What is normal, anyway?” _

_Aerona nods slightly in agreement, her hand dropping to the ground, unconsciously making lines in the dirt. “You taste like me…” She muttered after a moment._

_The boys eyes all sharpen, suspicion and anger filling them, confusion as well. Aerona is nearly choking on the different emotions leaking out._

_“Betrayed by those that love you, hurt by those that love you, tortured by those that love you…” She muttered lightly, eyes on the ground. “Abandoned and mistreated, unwanted unless you have a use and even then...it’s not you as a person that is valuable. No, it’s the result you can bring that is valuable, never you…”_

_ “And...how would you know that?” _

_Aerona noticed it was the other blunette speaking this time. His taste was a bit calmer, smooth and refreshing… Like Rain..._

_“I told you, you taste like me…” Aerona explained quietly, an odd expression coming across her face as she looked up. “This world, truly is a disgusting place…”_

_“Who?” Aura boy spoke suddenly, calculating eyes gaining clarity again, as Mist worked to heal the Aura’s damage. “Who betrayed you?”_

_Aerona hummed lightly. “Not many haven’t… My Clan...they allowed someone to hurt me very badly...and then kept me Bonded to them. My friends that have used me for status or for my appearance, my parents… Well…” Aerona paused thoughtfully. “More so my mother...my father never actually harmed me.” She said with a casual shrug._

_ Aerona couldn't say for sure, just how they felt about her words. The feelings were the same, the  **LightVinager** of Disbelief was still present, but had been honeyed somehow… There was a shift in the air, from the other two and more so from the Aura boy. _

_Lifting her eyes Aerona is confused by the almost gleaming look in the different eyes of the Aura boy. Almost like stardust and Super Nova’s before they were swallowed by the Black Hole of the Abyss._

_“Ah…” She muttered slightly startled. She didn’t think she had ever seen that look directed to her before._

_“And what did you do? To the ones that betrayed you?” He questioned quite strongly, almost pleading in his demand._

_Aerona tilted her head. “I slaughtered them... “ Aerona stated blankly, in her mind she could remember ripping Eugene to pieces when she was finally allowed to hurt him. “Most of them, almost all...my parents….my mother, is a sly one… But it will be fine in the end. I’ll Purify myself just a bit from my Corruption once she is erased...She can not hide from me forever...I will not allow it. ” Aerona finished as Purple flashed through her._

_ Pushing down and away the bright Orange that had covered her eyes and drifted Rage, Disgust, and Hate all around. Filling her mouth and sliding down her throat with the  **BitterSourSweet** taste mixing and clinging. Coating and choking her. Closing her eyes Aerona pushed it all down and away for now. Her mother wasn’t the problem right now...and there was nothing to be done about it. _

_She was shocked at the strange burst that came suddenly from the area before her. Salty and Sweet almost Savory… she wasn't sure what the flavors explained, she didn't think she had ever come across any of them before…_

_The Aura boy was staring at her with such an odd expression. Those eyes were sparkling as the Stardust seemed to dance and thorb to a tune._

_How peculier…_

_“Ah…” Aerona finally spoke as she realized the time that had passed. “It won’t be much longer before someone comes in search of those here..” Aerona spoke as she finally stood from her crouched position. “You should begin your disappearance act from this place.”_

_“So you’ll...you’ll just let us leave?” The blonde one demanded, frightened but fierce and what an adorable little Carnivore he would be…_

_“Ah, it won’t affect me either way. You're free to do as you chose.” Aerona stated, as she allowed her eyes to trail over the place once more. She would have to make sure the right people came here first. It would be better if they truly believed Weylyn had come to call._

_ “But!” Aerona turned in slight surprise at the Aura boy that had stepped forward. It was more so amusing that he seemed just as surprised at his actions as the  **SicklySweet** taste of Embarrassment was briefly tasted. That didn’t bring him to retract his hand which had a hold of the dress like over coat she wore. _

_Aerona blinked slowly as the boy seemed to collect himself once more._

_“Obviously I-We might be a threat. You came here to destroy the Estraneo and we are all that’s left of them. Why take the chance?” the boy questioned, although oddly enough his hand tightened._

_Aerona was thoughtful for a moment. This situation was odd… Actually….she wondered if perhaps this was how it was like for Skull-Sama after the Siege. The thought had her eyes softening as they returned to the color of a frozen ocean._

_“You’ve earned the choice to choose. The chance to move forward… You have made it this far on your own, you deserve to reach your next chapter. Who am I to stop you?” She finally questioned looking straight at the boy._

_The boy opened his mouth to speak but seemed to think better about it. Snapping his mouth shut he almost seemed to pout. “And you...what will you do?” He questioned._

_Aerona blinked once more in confusion, her eyes drifting off to the other two boys, that seemed lost and uncertain. “Hmmm… I have my own chapters to finish, and a number of responsibilities that require me to fulfil them. And it would seem you have your own don’t you?” Aerona questioned, causing the boy to look back at the two waiting for him._

_ Aerona paused for a moment before leaning in close to the boy. Her eyes meeting the unnatural one without a flinch. “The  **ColdSweet** taste of Vengeance is becoming of you… But you have to build it slowly or it will burn out… Act too hastily and it will collapse around you, and you’ll be the one the Flames consume…” _

_Her eyes remained steady, almost serene as she looked at the boy. It was a curious thing what he would become…”I hope you can be a bit more patient, for your sake...and theirs. After all, they are your responsibility now, correct?” She questioned._

_ The boy seemed to be slow to act, but nodded sharply, the  **Whiskey** tang of Determination flowing around him. Although she did wonder at that odd  **HoneyCream** taste that seemed to be filling him as well. It mixed with that  **SavoryChocolate** tang, making it something rather pleasant. _

_“I...I will remember your advice.” The boy stated seriously, eyes shifting slightly in the direction of the other two. “And I will. They are mine after all. We have a mission to accomplish.” He declared._

_ Aerona nodded, and finally pulled away. Looking at the boy thoughtfully for a moment. “You might not always be aware...but I think I’ll keep an eye on your three. I’m curious as to what happens next…” Aerona muttered lightly. “But I won’t interfere. So take care.” _

* * *

"So you've been keeping an eye on them?” Skull asked in a mixture of shock, awe, and pride. He knew his Cub was all grown up, but it was still shocking to come face to face with it. To know that she wasn’t that little girl he found, shattered and longing for everything to just  **stop** .

Aerona blinked glancing to the black trailed skies above her. “I was interested to see how far they would advance. They have left me quite a trail to follow… It’s been like a rather dangerous Game of Hide and Seek.” She said with a slight laugh and an amused look.”Although..”

Aerona sighed, lifting her hand to stare blankly at black soot mixing with clotting and drying blood. “They landed themself straight into the Vindice Prison. Bermuda-Kun finds them rather amusing, as he has told me. Or he did...Right now he’s quite enraged, as they recently escaped. Well Jaeger is the one enraged, Bermuda-Kun is still rather amused.”

“Ah, that sounds like Bermuda-Nii! He really gets too bored when nothing exciting or new happens. I think it's been a long time since anyone even tried to escape, I’m sure he’s quite happy about it! Although Jaeger is probably really, really angry…” Skull finished with a nervous chuckle.

Aerona could feel Skull’s amusement and it strengthened her own. Bermuda-Kun had been rather animated when they had brought her the information. The Vindice probably got tired after dealing with the same nonsense for centuries.

“He wasn’t very happy… More so because he knew that I had been keeping my eye on them all this time. I’m quite sure he holds me to blame for some of their actions. He even tried to retract the Chain I replicated from him. Bermuda-Kun told him to relax, reminded him that I had broken no Oaths.”

Skull snickered slightly as he pictured Bermuda-Nii scolding Jaeger again. It was always fun to see. “Ah, Cub...about these Children? Do you plan to locate them and continue watching over them?” Skull questioned, they were escapists from Vendicare…

“Hmmm. more or less… I want to keep my eye on them still…  I haven't interfere in their lives so far and don't actually plan to. They haven't a need for me, really but… I’m not sure….maybe it’s because I have looked after them for so long that I…” Aerona’s glanced to the side curling in slightly. Uncomfortable and embarrassed, she was aware of how dangerous and useless sentiment could be… How it could be used against her, but this was Skull-Sama and-

“You care about them don’t you?” Skull asked softly.

Aerona bit down on the whimper that wanted to escape from her. Weakness… She had been messing up so much lately, and she knew she was in a pit of vipers ready to strike. She couldn’t trust anyone anymore….she knew that now. But Skull-Sama…

Skull couldn’t help the soft smile that came to his face. His poor Cub… He could feel just how uncertain and terrified she was. Aerona was terrified of people, and despite coming so far she still was. It was expected that she wouldn’t handle caring about others very well. It probably angered and disgusted her that she was weak enough to do so. After all, she always swore to never let anyone close…

She really was silly little thing.

“Neh! Then I’ll help you~!” Skull declared cheerfully.

Aerona jerked with eyes wide in shock. “Skull-Sama…”

“If these people are important to my Cub, then they are important to me too! I’ll help you look after them I promise, alright? So don’t you worry about them! I’ll find them for you!” Skull vowed with his fist clenched shut. “I, the Great and amazing Skull-Sama Swear It!”

Aerona blinked rapidly, before her lips trembled. Clenching her teeth, she jerked her hand up to cover the sign of weakness and bent over slightly in her place. A small tremble spread throughout her body before it faded away. “Thank you...Skull-Sama…”

Skull grinned at how shocked and cute Aerona sounded. Like the little girl that had a thorny crown shoved onto her head and a Den of Monster’s to Control and Protect. “Of course. Now, tell Skull-Sama just who your children are, neh?”

“Ah… Joshima Ken, Kakimoto Chikusa, and Rokudo Mukuro. Although, Mukuro is quite an interesting one…”


	39. Xanxus: Wrath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Xanxus is Wrath and that's simple.

Xanxus wasn't one for complicated thinking or planning.

And no that didn't mean he was fucking stupid or not intelligent, damn it! He controlled the Varia and that took some skill in Diplomacy and Politics regardless of how crude and rude he was about it. Or how rarely he bothered to use them...

No, it was more that Xanxus couldn't be bothered to overthink or double check or even second guess himself. He wanted something he wanted something, he was angry he was angry, he wanted revenge for being lied to...well it wasn't a secret how careless and hotheaded he could be...

The truth was, Xanxus cared more about honesty and not fucking hiding or lying then anything else. Which is why he was always so fucking pissed off. Growing up surrounded by nothing but liars just waiting until you were weak to strike you down,didn't exactly make a happy person. He could see their Masks, maybe not behind them, but he could see the **Fakeness** and **Wrongness** and **Pretending** … Vongola was no better than the streets.

Xanxus just didn't see a point in worrying about things or thinking past how he would attack and destroy anything in his way. He had been born and raised on the streets. A place where the rules had been simple. You lived or you died. That was it, and nothing else mattered.

No one was going to protect you, no one was going to side with you, and you always expected the betrayal with the first introduction. Instinct was how you survived and you needed to be smart enough to plan ahead of the other rats around you. So no...despite being simple in the way he thought he wasn't a moron or slow.

He was a Survivor.

He had scratched and clawed and hurt to keep himself and his annoying mother alive. A woman who was so lost in her head that at times she didn't know what reality was. A world where they were taken care of and she didn't have to want for anything. How she could believe Vongola would give a care for two street rats was ridiculous, even if _he_ **_was_** a bastard of the Famiglia.

She did what she could to survive, and Xanxus ignored the sneers and looks they gained. Ignored when his mother was entertaining, or gone for a few nights. He ignored it for as long as he could, and then when he couldn't he would deal with it. Taking down grown men twice his size and dragging his stupid mother somewhere safer than their ratty hole in the wall. That would be the first place they would come after all. Then he would nurse her wounds as best he could.

He was never very good at it, but his mother demanded that he helped her heal. After all, if she was disfigured how would she get clients? How would Vongola listen to her if she couldn't catch his eye? Xanxus would scowl as he listened to her stupid fantasies as he tried his hardest to patch her up. Actual medicine, always fought for and stolen, used for her alone, as it was more important she didn't scar then him...

He respected his mother as much as he could, she literally sacrificed herself daily to try and keep them alive...that didn't mean that he would deny how delusional or stupid or pathetic she was. But he respected what she did...using other weaknesses or need for comfort for her own gain, even if it meant selling her body and doing whatever disgusting thing they wanted. Xanxus didn’t like the Street Walkers, but he fucking respected them, alright.

And then his pathetic mother had dumped him on that shitty old man. Somehow convincing the asshole to take him in with a show of the Golden Flames that had always been there for him. The only thing that had truly been there for him.

He could never really understand how his crazy mother conned the old man, but then again she had conned him as well. Stupid children were fucking stupid children after all, and he wasn't any better. He fell for everything she told him, just like that Stupid Old Man did....or pretended too...

Everything was a goddamn lie from the beginning, couldn’t he have just admitted it? To Xanxus at least? Why continue the fucking charade?!

And suddenly he had responsibility and everyone expected something from him, for him to be better....to be more... It didn't matter that he could outlast the old man's stupid other children in a fight, it didn't matter that he was stronger than the stupid trainers he was sent too, it didn't matter that he could out-think the stupid maids and servants and everyone that tried to sabotage him. No...none of that mattered....

All that mattered was that he was untamed, wild, a fucking savage who didn't know his place. All they cared about was that he was rude and he only knew the words he learned off the street. All they cared about was that he couldn't use their stupid fancy language. All they cared about was that he wasn't polite and didn't hide behind those painful fake smiles, and lies, lies, lies...

All they cared about was that in a world of Killers and Monsters he cared more for Honesty and being fucking Real then pretending.  All they cared about was trying to shove him into the little sharp box everyone else had been contorted and broken into and snapping the lid shut.

Xanxus would admit lies and deceit were useful, but he didn't understand how people could wrap themselves in lies as if they were the truth. How they could stomach to exist and live as if it was natural or normal.

So naturally, Xanxus refused anything they wanted him to do.

The old man wanted him to be politer and kinder to those around him? He was as rude and hurtful as possible. To see who could handle it, to see who would remain, to see who wore those fake lying masks and who didn't. Why the fuck should it matter if he was rude as long as what was needed was told and the information was passed?

The Vongola wanted him to be nice to and get along with the other Heirs he was suddenly being shoved into. Instead, he told them everything they lacked, broke whatever he could of them and made sure he was what they feared. Vongola was a Pit of Vipers, but it was his fucking Pit and one day he would be in charge of them. They needed to **learn.**

His stupid brothers thought a nice girl would calm him down and help him settle. He wouldn't hold back just because they were softer or prettier. No, girls were just as useless as the weak pathetic liers around him. If they couldn't handle a few glares and growls they weren't worth anything.

They didn't really want anything to do with, they didn't know him... All they wanted was Prestige, and Wealth, and Fucking Status! Not to mention they were fucking weak! A woman was supposed to stand tall, and strong, and proud… like his pathetic mother. If these girls couldn't even be as strong as a whore, what good were they? When he was scolded for hurting them or making them cry he would scoff and question if Vongola was truly Mafia or not.

The stupid old man thought Guardians and Bonds would help him feel better about things. Make him happier. All it did was make him hate the fuckers more than anything. With their perfect lives, and perfect training, and perfect families, and perfect schools, and perfect bloodlines. Not a single one knew what the real world was like, not a single one of them knew what pain was, not a single one of them knew what it meant to survive....

Xanxus would make sure they **learned** or at least would be the one to _force_ them too...

No....Xanxus wouldn't wear their stupid little masks and hide like everyone else. He didn't see a reason to hide, he was now a member of Vongola, Mafia. He was an Alpha a leader, why should he hide and pretend he's not to make others more comfortable around him? He wasn't like these weak little Skys that wanted Harmony and safety and protection.

Fuck that Noise, he didn't need anyone or anything. He was Xanxus the 10th Decimo, a Survivor, not a pampered little Sky that longed for peace and serenity. He didn't need to Bond with anyone and if he did it would be because he wanted to and saw a purpose in it. Because he found someone worthy....someone of his own Quality!

It really shouldn't have been a surprise that the Elements he did find were all as broken and damaged as he was.

A neglected and abused Sun because he couldn't, wouldn't conform. Refused to be what everyone wanted and expected him to be. And was so surprised and overjoyed when someone actually saw him that he bloomed like a fucking flower.

A Bloodthirsty and Violent Rain that found Pride in commanding and leading anyone he came across. Loud and proud of what he could claim as his, and not shy about getting what he wanted no matter what he had to do.

A Terrified and Twisted little Storm that was constantly amused by how pathetic the world around him was, and was terrified of being attacked and tricked. That was so determined to never show how terrified of those near him he was or how weak he felt that he kept a constant grin to fool them all.

That goddamned clingy Lightning, that was always yapping and begging for attention, and willing to do anything for approval. The annoying dog was always begging for scraps, but always snapping his fangs at anyone that even looked at him. Loyal to a fault, but too damned whiny.

That Scam-Artist of an Accountant that was his Mist. Greedy and Materialist and always smelling of goddamned strawberries and milk, with the most disgusting skill ever. A dealer of Information and Blackmail, while also clinging to life with a fervor surprising especially in the Mafia World. Although the Esper was the least annoying of his Elements and was someone Xanxus might actually listen to every now and then.

Not one of them fell into the definition of normal, and most were nowhere near sane. However, they were HIS. He chose them, meaning it didn't matter how they acted or how pathetic they could be, they were Quality. His Quality and had actually proven to be worth something. They didn't fucking lie and hide like the rest of the Goddamned Vongola.

But his life was the fucking biggest lie of all.

He was Xanxus….he was a survivor...but he wasn’t Vongola, and he wasn’t the 10th. Xanxus knew only blood would be accepted by those fucking rings. He never thought it would be a problem though. The old man constantly told him he was his son. In annoyance, in Pride…

Why hadn’t he been able to see that Bastard’s Mask?!

All this time… all the praise, and affection, and attention, and lo- It had been a goddamn lie! All of it! And he couldn't even tell, what else had he missed? Had everything been a lie!? Had his brother’s affection and care been a lie? Had the bond he had with the old man been a lie? What was the truth and what had been a lie damn it!

…

Xanxus didn’t like to second think himself...so when Vongola accused him of a Coup, declared that he had plans to attack, plans his _own_ _~~**CLOUD** ~~ _  had given them…

Well...why not?

At least if he was killing the useless scum around him...he wouldn’t have to second guess, or think, or remember, or _question_ , or **feel** ….or hurt…

No...attacking would be much, much easier… He was Wrath after all, right? So he would be angry and he would fight, it was simpler....then letting himself feel anything else. 


	40. ARCII: Vongola Heir; Arcobaleno Skull and Dame Tsuna

“What the hell?” Skull whispers to himself in his office. 

Suddenly freezing in place as he sat the folders and files he had been going through down. Just what the hell had he done? No...his Character, it was his Character not him!

This was…

Why the hell had he promised to help Aerona out with her Cubs. When the hell did his Cub get Cubs of her own….why did she have Cubs? He knew how terrified of people his Cub still was. The years had taught her control and restraint. She had become numb to the sensation of fear, almost to the point she didn’t recognize it anymore.

But she was still terrified of the world!

When you felt something so consistently and overwhelmingly you become desensitized to it. Aerona was so used to being afraid, that she didn’t even know how to recognize that she was afraid. It was just another thing to ignore, to push aside, to freeze over until it was _just_ _too_ **_much_** …

It was dangerous….just how like himself, his Cub was becoming.

Would she truly end up as shattered as he was? When would this end? When would all of this end? And when it did...what would they do? What would he do? What would she do? Where would they go? Would they run, would they stay?

They had a plan…

That day he found a broken child that was  **Raging** against the world. That wanted nothing more then to rip it to shreds if it meant  **everything** would  _ just  _ **_stop_ ** ….if it meant she didn’t have to  _ hurt _ anymore…

He had seen it within her…

The Abyss…

That cold void of Darkness that had been spreading form within and consuming her, claiming her soul and pulling, pulling, pulling..

Skull could remember when he had been filled with the Abyss. That aching yearning for nothingness, for silence, for solitude, for the cold embrace of the end, the Siren’s call of it  **finally** just being  **_over._ ** And this girl, this child was drowning in it. He could see it surrounding her, her eyes filled with that which could only be the end result of the Abyss…

Death.

There was a reason Skull boasted about being the one hated by Death. He didn’t run from Death, no… He would never run from it. But Death was the ultimate boss, the ending and Finale of any book and game. It was a boss Skull had hunted and sought for, for a very  _ very _ long time. Craving, yearning, longing, obsessing… It was all he had desired, all he had ever wanted…

But not while he was playing the Game.

No… Death could only be welcomed when he was ready for it. If his Character won that battle and died, then it would mean he lost. Because it wasn’t truly Skull that won that Victory, no it would be the Arcobaleno that would win. And that would mean it wasn’t really him, and Skull just couldn't do that!

If anyone would finally face the Final Boss it would be him! He would win the final victory and finally, finally win the prize of it's embrace!

Not even his Character was allowed to take that from him!

Gasping Skull snapped out of his mind to realize that he had been ripping the place around him apart. His desk was in pieces that he had been snapping, his chair was shattered, papers were spilling across the floor and his bookcases were shoved over and collapsed.

There was a reason Skull feared the Abyss...a reason he avoided it.

It wasn’t something he craved any longer…

No, Skull had freed himself, pulling and pushing and crawling and clawing until the darkness could no longer cling and drag and crush and sooth him beneath it. He had escaped...he had pulled himself from the chains of the Abyss and yet…

Skull knew it was always there. In the back of his mind, in the depths of his shadow, in the insanity of his soul….in the madness of his eyes…

There was a reason he and Aerona had bonded instantly.

So much like what Elements craved with one another, an instant connection, an unstoppable bond… But it wasn’t...it wasn’t the same. No, Aerona and he didn’t Bond like Elements. They bonded through the chains wrapped around them, the Darkness clinging to them and seeking itself in the other.

Aerona and Skull bonded through the Abyss. 

The same way Bermuda-Nii and Skull bonded, because Bermuda-Nii was the Abyss...

Bermuda-Nii was the Abyss’s Avatar, it’s point of Connection, he was always with the Abyss always apart of it, since death had reached and consumed and filled and embraced, but didn’t win… Merging just slightly with Bermuda-Nii so it was always there, never truly gone, never far. It was why Aerona wasn’t afraid of the Vindice, why she felt safe and relaxed among them.

All three of them were connected by it…

Skull was just the only one that refused its hold, the only one that had sought to escape it.

Escape, flee, run, run, run…..

Skull was finally able to stop gasping for air as his mind calmed, his Character slowly sliding back over his face like a porcelain mask to shield and smother. Taking a deep breath he allowed himself to fall into a slump on the floor.

This was going too far,...

Both his Character and the Game…

His damned Character cared too much, it was always causing problems and was starting to act on its own. And this Game...when would it end? How would it end? When the curse was over? Maybe…but why? How and what would that be how the game ended?

“Ughhh…” Skull groaned in annoyance as he held his head within his hands. It was starting to become too much. He cared for Aerona, she and Bermuda-Nii were the only people that meant anything in this existence...and neither were fully human, so he supposed that could be his excuse.

That didn’t mean that he cared for anyone she cared for, that he had to help her and look out for those that were important to her. So why had his Character been so eager to jump at the thought. So willing and- **and** - ** _and_** _happy_ to help?

For over 30 years Skull had been in control...why was it all suddenly starting to slip from his grasp then?

* * *

Tsuna was starting to seriously wonder what his life was coming to?

Sure...his life had been strange since Skull and Aerona had met him so long ago...but he had a feeling this nonsense would have happened either way... His Instincts were starting to get really annoying, and he just knew when he was right, and he knew he was right about that...

....So his life was always going to be insane....great...

Either way...he also knew that Skull and Aerona had made it better... 

Tsuna, loved his mother. 

He truly did, he might not always show it and he might not be the most affectionate of children, but he loved his mother. That didn't mean he wasn't aware of her flaws. 

His mother had been young when she had him...really young. 

It wasn't very surprising that people would assume the worst of her and himself because of it. Even before he had suddenly become clumsy and slow and couldn't concentrate and wonder why he was always so cold that it was chilling and numbing and he slowly just stopped caring, stopped trying... 

Tsuna had always been aware of the looks his mother received, of the mutters as she passed. It only got worse after his stupid father started leaving for longer times. 

And when he suddenly became a mess and disaster...well...things got even worse. Because it wasn't just the people getting cruler...no that had been expected. 

It was his mother sometimes looking right through him. Not seeing him, or forgetting about him, or...or the few times she had complained or became frustrated with him. 

She always seemed to realize what she had done. Like snapping from a trance, she would apologize and make it up to him, tearful and horrified. As time passed she started making excuses. Blaming herself first. 

Sorry Tsuna, momma should have helped you practise your maths. 

It's momma's fault, I should have helped you learn words Tsuna-Chan. 

It's not Tsuna-Chan's fault, momma should have made sure there wasn't anything you could trip over. 

Sorry Tsuna-Chan, momma was so silly she should have noticed that your uniform was torn. 

Oh, Tsuna-Chan it's not your fault, momma should have known you might scrap your knee, I'm so sorry. 

When she realized that he was upset by her always blaming herself, she started playing it all off like a joke. 

Tsuna was just lazy, but that was alright he was smart, she knew he could do better! 

Tsuna failed his exams, but that was only because he wasn't trying! 

Tsuna wasn't a slob he just forgot to clean up sometimes, it was fine! 

Tsuna didn't need to learn how to cook, after all one day he would find someone like his momma and work like his pappa, so it was okay if he couldn't! 

Tsuna had a lot of potential, he's just not ready to use it yet!

Excuse after excuse... She tried so hard, and yet her mind would get distracted so easily... She wanted him to succeed to grow up and want something with his life. At the same time she had also seemed to accept that he was a loser, but tried to always remind him that it wasn't his fault. 

It was never his fault...yet she could never explain why it wasn't his fault or how. 

Over time it just...became a routine. His mother would try and scold him and push him, but eventually trail off with excuses and tried to remind him it wasn't his fault, it was never his fault. 

And Tsuna, Tsuna just...became so confused, by trying to understand that he...started pushing it aside and ignoring it. 

Tsuna and his mother just couldn't communicate, as if something separated them. 

Aerona and Skull were there to help him from being completely useless. 

Where his mother couldn't seem to focus they did. Although they were busy and rarely could visit one on one, they were always willing to answer his calls and help whenever he needed it. They...honestly Tsuna didn't understand it, but they seemed to fill some Void he hadn’t even noticed growing within him. There was something empty, something missing... but Aerona and Skull somehow kept it from spreading. 

Aerona had a strict people don't matter approach to life. It was something he had adopted and it had allowed him to survive his bullies with his dignity. If he didn't give them the satisfaction of being hurt by them, then he was the one that won in the end. Other people really didn't matter. It was why Tsuna didn't feel the need to reach out or try, if it happened it would happen. But he wasn't going to beg for attention. 

Skull was similar, but more he taught him how to find amusement it. It was amusing that someone needed to make someone suffer to feel better about themselves, amusing and a bit sad. Their lives must be boring, or even more miserable than his own if they needed to come after him. It was amusing, but he pitied them more then anything. Tsuna didn't like being hurt, but he could deal with it.

Skull also taught him how to take a beating and smile.

They never went near his mother though. Skull seemed as if he simply didn't care about her, while Aerona seemed....to bristle or feel sickened just by being near his house. It was complicated and Aerona wouldn't, or couldn't explain it. He had a feeling she could tell something was wrong too. 

Tsuna loved his mother, he only wished he knew how to fix things. 

Although...things had been...better. When Reborn arrived his mother was able to focus a bit more it seemed. And as the house grew and became more and more full, as he gained more friends... 

Something was slowly being repaired. In himself, but in his mother as well. She was happier, almost as happy as when his stupid father was around. She noticed him more and was able to focus, to see him as long as someone was with him...

And that void in him was no longer growing, no longer consuming and spreading the icy chill of empty apathy. He found himself enjoying things more, smiling...just... feeling...whole. There was still something wrong though, but...it didn't feel like he was being smothered in rejection and failure anymore. 

Aerona and Skull had helped him, but...his friends were...They were something else. He felt a strong bond with Aerona and Skull, but it was nothing compared to what was building between him and his friends. 

He needed them...it was...strange. 

He loved Skull and Aerona, and he would always be connected to them, but he didn't need them to survive. But the others...the others he needed. 

He didn't really understand it, but it was just something he knew...

That's why when the news of a Cruise came he didn't complain as his mother cheered and rambled about spending time together. There was something ringing in the back of his mind screaming suspicion. 

Also, he could almost feel that Bianchi's promise to watch the kids was a lie. He knew that somehow they would come along...and everyone else. That's just how things seemed to be now. 

More suspicious was the fact that Reborn was actually acting like he could have a break. He didn't even need his instincts to tell him that was a lie. 

What did worry him...was how Reborn was involved, and just what he was planning this time. He really didn't want to deal with another zoo incident. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first try at a Fanfic. I just recently found this anime and have become a bit obsessed with this Character.  
> https://discord.gg/dYfMTcZ


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